Greetings, brothers and sisters in Christ! Happy Easter!
Easter, like Christmas, has a liturgical “octave” - that is, the celebration of Easter Sunday is of such magnitude that the Church celebrates the entire following week’s worth of Masses as though they, too, were Easter Sunday itself. Furthermore, the season of Easter lasts for 50 days, all the way until Pentecost. This is notable for two reasons. Firstly, because in biblical times the number seven was considered to be a “perfect” number, this season of 49 days (7x7, the 50th day being Pentecost) therefore expresses “perfectly” Christ’s salvific victory over sin and death. Secondly, the Easter season is longer than the Lenten season. This reminds us that the love of Christ is stronger than death (Song of Solomon 8:6; Romans 8:38), and that we should be as quick to celebrate during the whole season of Easter as we were to fast and offer sacrifices during the whole season of Lent.
The fact that Jesus Christ walked out of his own tomb is the greatest miracle in the history of the world. This Easter season, I pray that the reality of the Resurrection will touch your hearts in a new way and lead you ever closer to the God who desires the same eternal glory for you.
-Daniel