April 5, 2026, 12:00 PM
Remember the mini-series Jesus of Nazareth, from back in the ‘70s? Remember the final line of that production? Both the friends and foes of Jesus think his story is over. But, one of the characters looks into the empty tomb and says: “Now it begins. It all begins.”
So, too, with our Lent and our Easter.
We might have done pretty well during those 40 days of Lent. We didn’t even look at a piece of chocolate or a beer. We remembered to drop something into the Rice Bowl or to give to Rectory Set Cook. We made it to Stations or to a daily Mass. We examined our conscience and made our confession. We did our Exodus 90 or our Hallow 40 Challenge.
Now, it’s Easter, right? Time to grab that marshmallow peep or that gin and tonic. Time to sleep in, to relax, to feast, to enjoy the longer spring days. Time to let our Christian life just glide along on its own momentum.
Yes, let’s feast well for these 50 days. But, let’s not lose what we gained in Lent. Can we opt for healthier ways to eat and drink every day? Can we make a commitment to see and respond to Christ in the poor? Can we live vibrantly the faith we’ve embrace in baptism and confirmation? If we did that extra Mass during the week, can we keep up that good habit? Can we show up to confession on a regular basis? Can we deepen our conversation with God?
Lent was created to get us to Easter. But, Easter isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. Let that be our challenge, let that be our motto these coming 50 days: Now it begins. It all begins.
Fr. McCreary
So, too, with our Lent and our Easter.
We might have done pretty well during those 40 days of Lent. We didn’t even look at a piece of chocolate or a beer. We remembered to drop something into the Rice Bowl or to give to Rectory Set Cook. We made it to Stations or to a daily Mass. We examined our conscience and made our confession. We did our Exodus 90 or our Hallow 40 Challenge.
Now, it’s Easter, right? Time to grab that marshmallow peep or that gin and tonic. Time to sleep in, to relax, to feast, to enjoy the longer spring days. Time to let our Christian life just glide along on its own momentum.
Yes, let’s feast well for these 50 days. But, let’s not lose what we gained in Lent. Can we opt for healthier ways to eat and drink every day? Can we make a commitment to see and respond to Christ in the poor? Can we live vibrantly the faith we’ve embrace in baptism and confirmation? If we did that extra Mass during the week, can we keep up that good habit? Can we show up to confession on a regular basis? Can we deepen our conversation with God?
Lent was created to get us to Easter. But, Easter isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. Let that be our challenge, let that be our motto these coming 50 days: Now it begins. It all begins.
Fr. McCreary
