Jesus is Risen

Alleluia! This is a word you’ll be hearing a lot during this Easter season, which we are now entering. ‘Alleluia’ is a Hebrew word meaning praise the Lord. This tells us something about the focus of the season, which is characterised by joy and hope. Jesus has risen, and he invites us into this new life. The Easter event illuminates our lives as individuals and communities, calling us to be light for the world. The Season of Easter runs from the Easter Vigil to the Feast of Pentecost, a long period of fifty days. At this time of year, we are aware of the signs of new life around us. The days are longer and brighter, birds are singing, flowers are blooming. The new life that bursts from the earth reminds us that God is the source of all life and goodness. Easter is a time of new beginnings.
The Easter message is for everyone, whatever our situation. It is never too late to make a fresh start. The good news is that Jesus is with us. He is present when we pray and when we struggle to pray, when we are happy and when we are hurting, in the beauty of our world, which is always being made new, and in the goodness and love we share with others. As we make our way through this new season, we open the door and invite the risen Jesus to enter.

Tríona Doherty and Jane Mellett, The Deep End: A Journey with the Gospels in the Year of Matthew