This makes me think... about what gives us meaning.

The resurrection of Christ is not the fruit of speculation or mystical experience: it is an event which, while it surpasses history, nevertheless happens at a precise moment in history and leaves an indelible mark upon it. The light which dazzled the guards keeping watch over Jesus’ tomb has traversed time and space. It is a different kind of light, a divine light, that has rent asunder the darkness of death and has brought to the world the splendour of God, the splendour of Truth and Goodness.

Just as the sun’s rays in springtime cause the buds on the branches of the trees to sprout and open up, so the radiance that streams forth from Christ’s resurrection gives strength and meaning to every human hope, to every expectation, wish and plan. Hence the entire cosmos is rejoicing today, caught up in the springtime of humanity, which gives voice to creation’s silent hymn of praise. The Easter Alleluia, resounding in the Church as she makes her pilgrim way through the world, expresses the silent exultation of the universe and above all the longing of every human soul that is sincerely open to God, giving thanks to him for his infinite goodness, beauty and truth.

---Benedict XVI, Urbi et Orbi, Easter 2012.

I'm over at Amazing Catechists today...

Some thoughts on the power of the resurrection in our own lives...

Happy Easter! A painting and a story.

Check out this mural depicting the resurrection. (A short 5 minute video.)


And imagine all of that in the video taking place just before this moment....

Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him."
Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 


Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;
for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
Then the disciples went back to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 


They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" 


Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."
Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rab-bo'ni!" (which means Teacher).
Jesus said to her, "Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God."
Mary Mag'dalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her. 
--John 20: 1-18 RSV- CE

Happy Easter, from my house to yours!

This makes me think... about how well I'm using Twitter... oh, and so much more, really.

Among Women Podcast #131 celebrates new life in Christ!

Among Women 131 celebrates women who find new life in Christ. In our first segment, "Blessed Are They", Pat relates the story of St. Mary of Egypt, a former prostitute from the 4th century whose instantaneous conversion leads her to give up her old ways for a new life in Christ.

In our "Among Women" segment, Pat is joined by Sr. Emily Beata Marsh FSP, a newly-professed sister from the Daughters of St. Paul.

Sr. Emily graciously shares her vocation story and tips for strengthening our relationship with Jesus, especially through prayer and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Pat also shares a new timeline for Among Women podcasts over the next several weeks while she meets some important deadlines in he professional life, and can attend to some important family events.

Don't miss this uplifting episode in preparation for the celebration of the New Life we receive at Eastertime.

The Crowning Truth of our Faith

My latest, over at Patheos looks at the mystery of the resurrection, with some great instruction and inspiration from Pope Benedict...

Jesus’ Resurrection was about breaking out into an entirely new form of life, in to a life that is no longer subject to the law of dying and becoming, but lies beyond it -- a life that opens up a new dimension of human existence. Therefore the Resurrection of Jesus in not an isolated event that we could set aside as something limited to the past, but it constitutes an “evolutionary leap” (to draw an analogy, albeit one that is easily misunderstood). In Jesus’ Resurrection a new possibility of human existence is attained that affects everyone and opens up a future, and new kind of future, for mankind. 

(Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection, Ignatius Press, 2011.)

There's more here.

Yeah, Sing It Loud Easter People: My God is Mighty to Save!

This makes me think... Let the Joy of Easter Continue

Happy Easter!

A classic from Sandy Patty and Larnelle Harris...

He is Risen!

He is Risen, indeed!

This Sunday, Thomas has a Divine Mercy encounter with a Glorified Body...

Divine Mercy Sunday and the doubting Thomas are the subject of my latest installment of "Embracing the Catechism" over at Catholic Exchange.  Find out what the Glorified Body of the Risen Lord means for us! Its more than just a cool story, its a amazing reality that should transform our thinking about eternity.

Worth Repeating....

HT: Lisa at Catholic Mom.

My latest on Today's Catholic Woman...

...is a challenge to read about all the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus.  And on the third day, he rose again.

Go meet Jesus again through the eyewitnesses who saw him first from the grave, and in the thrilling days that followed.

Keep the Easter joy alive by delving deep into the word. Full accounts can be linked from the article.

Now 

on the first day of the week 

Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early,

 while it was still dark, 

and saw that 

the stone had been taken away 

from the tomb.  

John 21:1

Let us too be witnesses to that great event in our lives!

He is risen!  Alleluia!

Image credit

Conversion Story: from Jehovah's witness to Catholic

Mary Kochan, senior editor over at Catholic Exchange, reveals a portion of her testimony in this article.

Here's a snippet:

This is my 16^th Easter.

For the first 38 years of my life I did not celebrate Easter because I was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a pseudo- Christian group with a very strange economy of salvation. It is not easy to describe life in a cult like Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is very dark. Even their light is darkness.

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity, so they do not believe in the deity of Christ.  They believe that Jesus was Michael the Archangel before he came to earth, and that after he was resurrected, he went back to being Michael the Archangel — but with the name “Jesus.”  They do believe Jesus died (but not on a cross) to save mankind from sin and death by atoning for the disobedience of Adam.  Jesus had to be a perfect man, to match Adam in every respect, and thus he takes Adam’s place as our father.  I know this is weird — not to mention the whole ontological problem of how he is an angel, then a human, and then an angel again — but I’m telling you about it because I want you to know that I had an idea that I could call myself a Christian and believe Jesus died for me, without conceiving of Jesus as God.

Most of you reading this are like my grandchildren who have heard all their lives that Jesus died for you and that Jesus is God the Son –- true God from true God.  It has never dawned on you, because it was always the light that you lived in.

But it dawned on me.

Read the rest, here.

Confidential to Mary: enjoy a "sweet 16!" ~Peace & joy,  Pat