This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad. (Ps 118:24)

The song we sing in Mass is so uplifting and joyous! It is one of those songs that unites us, strengthens us and brings such happiness to our souls! It is truly a song of worship and praise and cherished by all. An Easter song for the ages.

Today is the day we rejoice and be glad! It is the day the Lord has made. We recall and celebrate that Jesus rose, left the tomb and went out into the light of a new day and that we have been delivered/freed and saved.

Just as the Israelites celebrated the delivery from slavery (Exodus 15:20) so do we take time to rejoice and celebrate our delivery from sin through Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection.

In John’s Gospel we are told that the women arrived at the tomb, in the dark, to find it empty. The disciples are alerted and also arrive to see the tomb empty. They are worried, unsure, disbelieving and are concerned that Jesus’ body is missing and has been taken. As we read this text , we too are left perplexed and left pondering the whereabouts of Jesus,  until Simon Peter enters the tomb and it is revealed that the linen is still present and the napkin is folded.

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. John 20:6-7

Thieves and soldiers alike would not leave the materials in such a way. The disciples realise the meaning of what they have previously been told by Jesus,  and now know and understand that Jesus has risen from the dead! They have moved from the dark of uncertainty into the light of revelation!

In our own lives a new day has dawned and we have arisen from our slumber to welcome this Easter Sunday. We move through the motions of tidying and making our beds and readying ourselves for the new day ahead. We leave the darkness of the night and walk out into the light of the day to live life to the fullest. Our Lenten journey of preparation, cleansing, getting rid of the old yeast and deepening our relationship with God is now transformed like a new day from the night and we are called to, even challenged to, now go out as new unleavened bread to be witnesses to our faith of the resurrection of Jesus and to be people of sincerity and truth.

That truth being  that Jesus has risen, we are saved from sin and  have eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. Knowing this, we are called to rejoice and be glad and live out the Easter experience, sincerely, in all we do and all we say, each and every day that we arise and awake!                                          

 Happy Easter.

Brendan Maynard