Today we celebrate Easter Day!  We celebrate Jesus Christ, the Resurrection and the Life

So many of us have been thinking about this virus….this thing that is out to get us, this thing you can’t even see that wants to claim our lives, that wants to kill us

But today we celebrate the RISEN Christ and we remember that JESUS is out to give us life

The devil has his day (Good Fri) – but he loses every time

With the Resurrection, Jesus says: DEATH WILL NOT HAVE THE FINAL SAY … LIFE WILL

The Resurrection can’t be something that happened 2000 years ago or whats the point…all too often we just focus on the historical reality that Jesus resurrected

But what does it matter unless JESUS IS ALIVE IN YOU!?

Going to Mass on Easter isn’t ALONE what allows this — a lot of people come kiking and screaming or only for traditoin’s sake — what makes JESUS ALIVE IN US is SURRENDERING TO HIM .. a full, 100% SURRENDER … JESUS TAKE MY LIFE!

I have been crucified with Christ and the life I live is not my own, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. GALATIANS 2:20

I want to experience the power of the resurrection in my own heart.  Paul says it today: since you have been risen in Christ, seek the things that are above

One time this kid came up to me and said…my life is just some big routine….I get up, I take a shower, I go to school, I eat lunch, I come home, I have dinner, I do sports, I go to bed.   DON’T YOU SEE, I said, the difference is how you live it!

We can get caught up in the – same old, same old – we can get bored – How many of us today wouldn’t give anything for that SAME OLD back?????  But what if we invite JESUS INTO IT!  NEW LIFE INTO IT!

Pope Francis said thsi about the virus:

Tonight before falling asleep
think about when we will return to the street.
When we hug again,
when all the shopping together will seem like a party.
Let’s think about when the coffees will return to the bar, the small talk, the photos close to each other.
We think about when it will be all a memory but normality will seem an unexpected and beautiful gift.
We will love everything that has so far seemed futile to us.
Every second will be precious.
Swims at the sea, the sun until late, sunsets, toasts, laughter.
We will go back to laughing together.
Strength and courage!

On the other side of this virus, just like on the other side of this and every LENT, we don’t go back to life as normal … we ccan’t…. we aren’t supposed to” …. because maybe normal wasn’t working!

Jesus wants to give us NEW LIFE

Lent is over,….thank God….but now, NEW LIFE!  Lent is 40 days, Easter is 50 ….

I want to make you a challenge …. the EASTER CHALLENGE!

For 50 days, I want you to post #EasterChallenge on Facebook or write it in a piece of paper……each day, share ONE THING that MADE YOU FEEL ALIVE, or ONE THING THAT GAVE YOU LIFE or JOY today

Jesus makes all things new!!!!

On the other side of that first Lent was NEW LIFE………SAME TODAY!