When I wrote about my Triduum reflection five years ago, I spoke about Easter Vigil and the unexpected death of my Father -in -law. This year we missed the Easter Vigil and went instead to an early morning Easter Mass.
The Vigil is filled with mystery and light and darkness and new Catholics coming into the church. It is a beautiful experience and if you have never attended a Vigil – you should! The Easter Morning Mass however seemed to bring a different sense of hope.
As we drove to Mass both my husband and I reflected on the five years without his Dad and the upcoming one year anniversary of his Mother’s passing.
The Easter Sequence brought me words to ponder about life and death as the choir sang:
Death and life fought bitterly for this wonderous victory.The Lord of Life now reigns on high. Alleluia!
But the greatest sign of love, life and hope that I heard at Mass was not from the priest or the Choir. The parish was full of families with children dressed in their Easter best. A baby in front of me cooed and as if on cue a child from across the sanctuary babbled. Soon it seemed to be a choir of babies cooing, babbling and singing from all corners of the church (and not a one of them crying).
Really, it was like one babe calling out to another and they were singing praises to God!
O LORD, our Lord,how awesome is your name through all the earth!I will sing of your majesty above the heavenswith the mouths of babes and infants.Psalm 8:2-3
The only time I did not hear these children was when the choir sang the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah. I am not sure which was more beautiful.
The sounds of these children made me smile and helped me remember that Easter is about new life no matter our age and we get to be born into the newness every Easter and every day.
That is the Easter story and we are Easter people!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
