Deacon’s Beacon: “Lose the Bunny!”
“Lose the Bunny!”
Going into stores and restaurants during the past 40+ days, I saw Easter seasonal decorations of bunnies, chicks, colored eggs, lilies, and – Oh, did I say -bunnies.
People wanted to brighten their facility with seasonal signs of the times. I ask – “What seasonal sign was missing?” The crucifix – the symbol of the risen Christ -THE symbol of Easter.
The Easter Bunny and the other mentioned items are commercial symbols, meant to get people in a good mood to buy various items. But the crucifix is the symbol of the rewards of heaven that we receive through the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Last Sunday we celebrated Easter 2023, the conclusion of Holy Week. Last Thursday night was the start of the Sacred Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Saturday night we celebrated the Easter Vigil.
The Triduum can be summed up in one word – love.
We see Jesus’ love for all of us as He suffers the Passion and Death. As He is dying on the cross He says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Jesus is in the tomb for 40 hours, then is resurrected on Easter. Jesus endures all of this for love of the Father and love of us. He expects us to share our love of God through our sufferings and our love for others.
We all have sufferings in our lives. Jesus accepted the sufferings in His life for love of the Father. He asks us to accept the sufferings in our lives. We imitate Jesus by carrying our cross.
With the coming of Easter we may say – “Lent’s over! – now we can return to our “normal” life.” That’s almost like saying that we were underwater but now we’ve come up to the surface – we can get a breath of fresh air.
Lent was not just about “giving up” something for 40 days, it’s about taking some time to evaluate where our faith journey is taking us. This is a time to make changes in our life and to ask ourselves – “how has this lent brought me closer to God?”
When Jesus appeared to the apostles, He guided them as to what they needed to do. Later, the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, did not stay in that room. They brought Jesus’ message to their community and eventually, to the whole world. We also are called to carry God’s message forward.
Last Sunday was Easter Sunday, this Sunday is Divine Mercy Sunday where we celebrate the glorified Jesus offering His peace and mercy to all who ask.
We don’t want to be a “Doubting Thomas”, laying down our expectations of what we want before we will believe.
Let the Easter Bunny go hopping down the road; we need to focus on the saving power Jesus gives us through His Cross.
Deacon Tom Corcoran
For additional information on these and other Outreach ministries, please contact Deacon Tom Corcoran at irenetomc@hotmail.com or 847-253-2082.
“You are the light of the world. Do not light a lamp then put it under a bushel basket…. your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:5-16
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