He is risen, Alleluia!
I hope you can take some time to visit our beautifully decorated churches! While we're still away from the celebrations and public worship associated with following Christ, we have to turn to His teachings and follow His example. Multiple times in Scripture, Jesus went to be alone in prayer:
6 Times Jesus Chose Solitude and Why:
To prepare for a major task Luke 4:1-2, 14-15. After Jesus was baptized He spent 40 days praying in the wilderness. After this He was tempted by Satan and then began His public ministry.
To recharge after hard work Mark 6:30-32. Jesus sent the 12 disciples out to do ministry. When they returned He encouraged them to separate from the people who were following them to rest.
To work through grief Matthew 14:1-13. After Jesus learned that his cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded, He went away by Himself. Yes, even the Son of God grieves.
Before making an important decision Luke 6:12-13. Early in His ministry Jesus spent the whole night alone in prayer. The next day He chose his 12 disciples.
In a time of distress Luke 22:39-44. Hours before Jesus was arrested He went to the Mt. of Olives and went a short distance away from His disciples to pray. He was in great emotional agony knowing what he was about to face.
To focus on prayer Luke 5:16. Many times in Jesus’ ministry He spent time alone in prayer.
During this quarantine, use it as an opportunity to prepare for when we get back into the world. If you were stressed, feeling disconnected, overwhelmed, or lost, now is the time to prepare with daily prayer! Review your life with Jesus and ask for His suggestions.
From the Bulletin: Usually at Easter we focus on joy, joy, and joy! And this is proper response! Jesus has risen from the dead, and it proves to us who He is: our salvation and our hope.
However, place yourself in the shoes of all the of FIRST disciples, apostles, and Mary. Over the last few weeks, the tension of anger was rising against Jesus. Fear, anxiety, and confusion ruled over them. But here, on Easter, Jesus returns to prove that He is strong than all our problems; most importantly, death itself! But lots of confusion too. This isn’t what they signed up for, they wanted Jesus to fix every Earthly problem … but instead they had to learn why He really came: to fix the deadliest problem of all: the broken relationship with God.
If you find that you have a mix of emotions this Easter, due to the state of the world as well as lack of ability to celebrate this day with the Sacraments, then you too can experience what the first Christians encountered. Hold onto the most important fact: Christ died for us and has risen. Place this at the center of your lives as we all continue to live in these times of uncertainty and you’ll find true peace! May God bless you this Easter season!
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