Hope of Resurrection Never Fades

As the Alleluia choruses ring out and church bells peal at the Easter Vigil and Sunday Masses you bound out of the church with reinvigorated energy and faith at the good news of Christ’s resurrection. All is brand new. 

But after a few weeks, that feeling of euphoria wanes and you ponder, “What next?”

Keeping an Easter perspective in the daily struggles of life allows one to see the hope of resurrection on the other side of them, say spiritual directors and priests in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. 

Spiritual director Dana Territo recalled one person she was giving spiritual direction to asking her, “How will I be different after Easter Sunday?”

“I told her to bring it to prayer,” said Territo.

It also means continuing the practices of the discipline of Lent, especially in looking at things that were standing in the way of spiritual growth.

“We often think about what we ‘gave up for Lent,’ but it’s all about transformation,” said Territo.

She further encouraged people to find time during the day to be free of distractions and spend time with God. Writing in a journal is a good aid in the spiritual journey.

“It might just motivate (you) to look at the blessings and reflect,” said Territo. “Tell God ‘Thank you’ for his blessings so he can help you when you are going through difficult times.”

Grappling with the question of “What am I going to do now?” can take people in a positive direction, according to Territo. 

“You can participate in a new ministry,” she noted.

When discerning which steps to take, Territo said to remember Jesus’ words to the apostles in St. Luke 12:12: “For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should (do).” This was fulfilled at Pentecost 50 days after Easter.

Tapping into motivational apps and websites, such as Ignatian Press and Ascension Press, are good tools for guidance in making an ongoing Easter connection, Territo added.

Most importantly, people should reflect on the Eucharist, which Jesus instituted on Holy Thursday, and is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. During the COVID-19 lockdown, when people were unable to attend Mass, many realized how much they took for granted receiving the Eucharist and participating in the liturgy, according to Territo.

Keeping the Easter message alive also involves expressing gratitude to Jesus for dying on the cross on Good Friday to get to the Easter resurrection. And we will have moments of “dying to self,” suffering and sacrifice as well.

“We have to realize there are going to be Good Fridays in our lives, and how do we endure it? By trusting that God will lead us through it. That helps me all the time,” Territo said.

Father Robert Stine, who is also a spiritual director, said the key to keeping the Easter spirit viable is to “rejoice.”

“Usually, we are good at resenting, that is, spontaneously reliving hurtful experiences,” said Father Stine. “Rejoicing is the opposite, that is, reliving happy and consoling experiences.

“But we must do this deliberately. Come into prayer and remember a happy event. Let the past feelings become present.”

Father Stine rejoiced by recalling a particularly consoling prayer experience he had years ago. He was praying the passage about Simeon and Anna’s joy at Jesus’ presentation in the temple in St. Luke’s Gospel and recalled an experience when he was three or four years old. 

“My grandfather brought me a toy that one winds up and it walks around the room. I was fascinated. Then, I realized that I knew virtually nothing about this grandfather since he died shortly afterwards, except, from this one experience, that he loved me,” said Father Stine.

“It brought tears of joy to my eyes.  In recalling once again in prayer, this prayer experience, I felt profound gratitude and joy in having been loved. So to prolong the joy of Easter, one only need to ‘rejoice,’ ” said Father Stine.