The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation upon which the
Christian faith is built and hence Easter is a significant date for all Christians, this year being celebrated today April 1. NT BUZZ finds out about the essence of Easter and how it’s a ‘new birth into a living hope’
Sheras Fernandes | NT BUZZ
The period of Lent—a 40-day period of fasting, prayer and sacrifice—ends with Holy Week, which includes Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Easter, the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb on the third day after his crucifixion is a noteworthy day for Christians. Remembering the resurrection of Christ is a way of restoring our hope that we have triumph over death and sin. It is through our belief that Jesus will return to take us to the kingdom of God that we can overcome all our hardships arising in our life.
Easter is a time to reflect on salvation, deliverance, and the future coming of Christ’s kingdom. “The holy week unites us with Jesus through Maundy Thursday, celebration of the institution of the Eucharist; Good Friday, the day we enact his love for his people where he died for us and the forgiveness of our sins,” says member of the Padre Pio Friary, Modi-Navelim and in-charge of the Voice of Padre Pio magazine, Fr Simon Fernandes.
Some believe life begins when you’re born and ends when you die, but Fr Bolmax Pereira, parish priest of Our Lady of Remedios, Nerul says resurrection is the end. “God has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We often feel death is the end but Jesus won over death by resurrecting.”
Peter the apostle writes: ‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’. “It’s a day he rose as he always said ‘I will rise again’,” says Fr Simon. He adds that it’s the triumph over sin, death, forces of evil and darkness to light. “The day Jesus died for his father’s will that was the moment the father raised him up,” he says. Many consider Lent to be a way of living that is seen through their deeds and acts of kindness. They spend their time in prayer and sacrifice and have seen positive outcomes in their lives. “This Lent was all about family bonding for me. I made sure my family spent some quality time praying together,” says Maria Sequeira from Saligao.
Fr Simon says that though Lent ends with the celebration of Easter, our acts of kindness must go on. “It gives us new incentive to begin again. Every year something new begins to happen in those who enact the paschal mystery. This is seen in our lives through our actions and deeds,” says Fr Simon adding that it is an element of faith and hence we should take our spiritual energy from Jesus.