He is not here, for He has been raised, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.
Easter is the beginning of a new season of grace and a time of joy and thanksgiving. This most important Christian holiday symbolizes the fulfilment of our faith as Christians as it is by His death that we are freed from sin and through His resurrection that He brought the promise of new life. The longest of the special liturgical seasons, the Easter season is a period of 50 days when we joyfully celebrate the Lord's resurrection from the dead and the sending forth of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
During Lent, many of us prepared for Easter through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. On Holy Thursday, the student body joined together as a Middle School and Senior School for a presentation of the Stations of the Cross, led by our Social Justice Council. By reflecting on each station, we were reminded of Jesus’ passion and death, the cross he carried, the crosses we carry, and His undying love for us.
On Friday, April 22nd, we were joined virtually by Fr. Michael from St. Mary Star of the Sea to celebrate our Easter liturgy as an HNMCS community. The girls were invited to reflect on the gospel reading from John 21:1-14, and recognize that God is in our midst, and knows our hearts. He wants us to leave space in our lives to work in and around us because He knows what we need and wants to lighten our load. All we need to do is accept His care and recognize that He is working for our good. This valuable message resonated with many of the girls as their schedules are often filled with many responsibilities.
As we continue to celebrate this Easter season and look forward to Pentecost, let us remember the words of Pope St. John Paul II who once proclaimed that we are an “Easter people, and Alleluia is our song.” Let us praise God for his infinite mercy and love, accept Him into our hearts, and glorify His name with a resounding “Alleluia!”