“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.”
– Luke 24:5b-7 (NRSV-CE)
Alleluia, Christ is arisen!
We celebrate this new season in the Christian year with Easter Sunday – the morn that Our Lord rose from the dead. The reflections from the past week, Holy Week, the last week of Lent, culminate in this glorious of glorious events, where Christ did the ultimate: He rose from the dead and had new life.
Thanks to Jesus’s actions, we, too, have been raised from the dead and given new life. Where before, we would reap the wages of sin, death, now, we are invited to partake in a new life – a new Christian life of hope in Christ, hope that we, too, shall enjoy eternal life in heaven with God.
It is also very appropriate that Spring has just begun – at least in the Northern Hemisphere. The cold, harsh, dead winters of Lent have now faded away and been replaced by the blossoming life of spring – even the Earth herself rejoices with us in celebrating new life.
The Resurrection of Jesus is a triumph over sin. When He descended into the abode of the dead, He freed the righteous who had previously died and with no hope of enjoying eternal life. In harrowing hell, He gave salvation to those people, so that they can be reunited with the Father in heaven. Where before everyone was destined to die and stay dead, thanks to Christ, everyone will rise again and, with God’s grace, spend that eternal life with Him in heaven.
Christ has given us new life. It only makes sense that we should do our best to Make The Most out of it and offer it back as a gift to Him. Just as we celebrate the season of hope, so we celebrate Christ’s gift to us by following His commandments to love the Lord with all our being and to love others as well.
Happy Easter!
Aloy Chua 