He's Alive!

“God is not just risen one day on the calendar but every day of the year.  Every day of the year Jesus Christ is risen from the grave, He’s defeated sin and death.  They have no power over us. Amen!”  If this doesn’t make us excited, I don’t think there is anything else that will.  One of my favorite things to do, especially on every Easter morning, is blast the song “Christ is Risen” by Matt Maher, specifically the live version.  The passion and excitement within this song is how we should all feel about Christ’s resurrection.  And not just one day each year, but every single day of our lives.

The Resurrection is the basis for our faith.  It is the reason for our hope and joy.  The Resurrection gives us the opportunity to live in a way that shows others who we are as Christians, and more importantly, to show others who Christ is.  If we allow our lives to be led by this amazing and life-changing event, we will have real peace and joy that the world does not offer and that cannot be taken away.

Hearing the Gospel for the Easter Sunday mass, there is one line that stood out to me.  “They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first” (John 20:4).  Both of the disciples ran in anticipation of what they would find upon arriving at the tomb.  I think this line in scripture demonstrates their eagerness to see what happened and yet also reveals the courage it took to seek out something unknown, and ultimately, their willingness to believe that Jesus had truly risen from the dead.  Do we have the same anticipation to see what we will discover when we fully and wholeheartedly seek Jesus in our lives?  Are we eager to see where he will lead us?  Do we have the courage to follow Him into the unknown, trusting that He will give us what we need?
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Living with the knowledge that Jesus is risen from the grave and has defeated sin and death should give us all a deep joy that fills our hearts and radiates from our very being.  Run, don’t walk, to share this joy of the risen Christ with all who you encounter and the whole world!