Happy Easter!
The older I get, the more Easter means to me.
As a pretty committed Church-goer, I always knew Easter was important. It's obvious.
As a pretty committed Church-goer, I always knew Easter was important. It's obvious.
Maybe I was going through the motions more than being really moved though.
Sadly, it was the death of my Dad that gave me a different insight about Easter.
Each year as the anniversary of my Dad's death nears, I remember the days with him leading up to that.
He'd had a scheduled surgery on May 1st of 2009 and long story short, things went terribly wrong
Each year as the anniversary of my Dad's death nears, I remember the days with him leading up to that.
He'd had a scheduled surgery on May 1st of 2009 and long story short, things went terribly wrong
and he died on May 6.
When the end of April nears, I can't help but think about those days and events.
When the end of April nears, I can't help but think about those days and events.
Time has helped ease the hurt, but it's still emotional.
After his death, I more fully understood the significance of the celebration of Holy Week and Easter - it became more personal and more REAL, not something remote and apart from me.
I recognized what that felt like in an intimate way, how remembering every year is a way of memorializing my Dad and the sadness at losing him, what he went through, what we all went through.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Our own cross.
My daughters and I went to a really beautiful Easter vigil Mass tonight.
Candles, a choir, incense - the Church rituals I'm so accustomed to.
Candles, a choir, incense - the Church rituals I'm so accustomed to.
But I'm always struck by the horror of crucifixion, no matter how old I am or the number of times I've been alive to celebrate Easter. It's difficult and painful to fathom.
Even more, the idea that Jesus and those condemned to die had to carry that cross - THEIR cross, where they knew well there would be nothing but agony and a torturous death. They had no choice.
Even more, the idea that Jesus and those condemned to die had to carry that cross - THEIR cross, where they knew well there would be nothing but agony and a torturous death. They had no choice.
Yet Jesus did that.
For us.
For renewal, for second chances.
For us.
For renewal, for second chances.
I think of all the ways I've messed up, my failings, ways I've hurt others and continue to do so.
Maybe those are our "crosses" we're burdened with and we'll carry to the end.
Maybe those are our "crosses" we're burdened with and we'll carry to the end.
I'm hopeful we all have second chances, though. Here and now.
A chance at new beginnings, to be better.
A chance to be who we aspire to be.
Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Easter.
May we not only receive second chances, but willingly offer them to others, too.
~ Judy
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