...By Judah Olanisebee for TDPel Media.
How Catholics Should Observe Easter Season
As Easter Sunday begins the liturgical season of Easter, which lasts for 50 days, how should Catholics observe it?
Father Hezekias Carnazzo, director of the Institute of Catholic Culture, emphasizes that the Christian life cannot go back to the way it was before, and it should be forever changed as a result of Jesus rising from the dead.
Liturgical experts suggest that while Easter is a time to celebrate, it is also a time for Catholics to grow in their spiritual life.
Spiritual Focus
The spiritual focus of the Easter season is on Christ’s resurrection and the evangelization that immediately follows from it.
According to Father Chrysostom Baer of the Norbertines of St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County, Catholics need to remember that the apostles’ attempt to convert the world was powered by a kind of “evangelical poverty.”
The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.
Catholics can celebrate Easter and grow in their spiritual life by remembering the evangelization of the apostles and focusing on Christ’s resurrection.
Good Practices from Lent
Catholics should also continue any good practices they fostered during Lent such as prayer or almsgiving.
They should also give attention to virtues they cultivated from Lenten penance, which requires taking “concrete steps” and not just vague promises to ensure that good habits are maintained.
If someone gave alms during Lent, they could resolve to give money to the poor a certain number of times per week, said Father Baer.
Celebration of Easter
While Easter is not a time for hairshirts and fasting, Catholics should not abandon good Lenten practices during Easter if those practices help them become better Catholics.
The created world has been brought back “into communion with God,” and that realization should change how people see everything.
Catholics should celebrate the season by going to daily Mass, which puts people in the mind of the Church with regard to the season.
They should also throw a party, enjoy meat as a gift from God and appreciate its goodness all the more if they have given up meat for 40 days.
Rediscovering Joy
Catholics should party together and rediscover true joy for the sake of society.
Father Carnazzo suggested that Catholics should invite friends and newly baptized members to their homes to celebrate Easter, and they should not forget their ability as Christians to go out and have a party.
“Our society is starving because of that. We’re the ones who are supposed to be showing everyone else what true joy is, but unfortunately we’ve forgotten it ourselves,” he said.
Commentaries
The Easter season is a time for Catholics to focus on Christ’s resurrection and grow in their spiritual life.
Celebrating Easter is not only about enjoying food and company, but also about appreciating the goodness of God and his creations.
Catholics should take concrete steps to maintain the good habits they fostered during Lent and invite friends and newly baptized members to their homes to celebrate Easter.
The celebration should not only happen in church, but also in everyday life, and Catholics should rediscover the joy of celebrating with friends and family.
