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Easter is basically the message of love of God for mankind. Even though man sinned against God and disobeyed his commandments, God gave a second chance to his people promising a Savior none other than His only son who is called Lord Jesus Christ and He is the king of the Universe, both the living and the dead. So the Bible says, “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar. It celebrates the resurrection of Lord Jesus from death, three days after he was crucified. Easter is the heart of Christianity. Easter Sunday marks Jesus’ Resurrection. Easter, also known as Resurrection Sunday, celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, and rose from the dead after three days on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday marks the end of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, prayer and penance, and is followed by a 50-day period called Eastertide, which ends with Pentecost Sunday. The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus is observed as an Easter Vigil (also known as Paschal Vigil) in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and some Anglican churches, and “Sunrise Service” in many Protestant churches. Borrowing from the Jewish tradition, a liturgical day begins at sunset and thus the Easter Vigil begins between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on EasterSunday.
The Easter Vigil service moves from darkness to light, symbolically re-enacting the Easter story of Jesus rising from the dead. The service begins outside the church where the priest lights and blesses a fire. A Paschal candle, representing the Risen Christ, is lit from that fire. The candle is processed through the church, and the Exsultet, Easter proclamation, is sung. Passages from the Bible are read, the Gloria and Alleluia are sung, and the Eucharist (or Holy Communion) is celebrated. In many churches, this is also a time when new members are baptized into the Church in accordance with ancient tradition. The “Sunrise Service” is similar, but held outside early in the morning on EasterSunday, so that attendants can see the sun rise.
Easter Sunday is preceded by Holy Week, which is the last week of Lent. Holy Week marks important events in Jesus life as described in the Gospels – his triumphal entrance to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the Last Supper onMaundyThursday, and his death and crucifixion on Good Friday.
As the Bible says after Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, his body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave tomb guarded by Roman soldiers with an enormous stone covering the entrance, so that no one could steal the body. On the Sunday, Mary Magdalene, followed later by some of Jesus’ disciples visited the tomb and found that the stone had been moved, and that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb. Jesus himself was seen that day by Mary and the disciples, and for forty days afterwards by many people. His followers realized that God had raised Jesus from the dead. Christians believe this as the Resurrection. The week leading up to Easter is called the Holy Week.
The Bible says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says “The wages of sin is death.” The good news is that about 2,000 years ago, God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.
Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God His Father. He offers us the gift of eternal life – of living forever with Him in heaven, if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me.”
God reaches out in love to us and wants us to be His child. “As many have received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” We can choose to ask Jesus Christ to forgive our sins and come in to our life as Lord and Savior. The faith of Christians will remain and be practiced on this earth and cannot be taken away because it is the faith that is built on a solid foundation by God Himself through His only Son, Lord Jesus Christ out of his love for mankind and it will remain forever and we are faithful to God.”
We pray to the almighty risen Lord Jesus Christ on this day of Easter to bless all of us and have peace on every man and woman, who may lead a peaceful, happy and prosperous long life on this earth.
Wish everyone a Happy and blessed Easter. May God bless all of us.
Alban D’Souza
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Dear Alban happy to go through your article on Resurrection.Congrazts that is the way that we evengelise the people.Keep writing.I am proud that you are from Udyavar.Are you staying in Bajjodi now.Greetings of the season.
Fr Richard Coelho
Dear Fr. Richard. Wish you a happy and blessed Easter. First of all thank u for your compliments and encouragement. I could recall the great fruitful ministry you rendered in Udyavar Parish for 7 long years.Actually I like the word “Evengelisztion” . When Jesus appoints His disciples and priests for evengelizaion He also gives authority to every Christian for this great task. So we are grateful to God for this. This is my belief. So Every Christian has to understand this and live by life and deed. As we are humans difficult but of course Jesus knows the weekness and he will fill us in the Holy Spirit as the same in His life. So every Christian can avoid the sinful nature through the Holy Spirit. We thank God for giving us good priests. Actually I am not a big writer but I have that background inherited from my parents and forefathers and parish priests of course, and thank all of them for grooming the great faith on Christian belief. They are God fearing and devotional. So I just wanted to give the same message to todays youth so that they could build up their future life on this faith on a solid foundation which gives meaning to their life.
Secondly Fr. Yes our family now shifted from Udyavara to Bajjodi by God’s grace. You are welcome at any time Fr. to our new residence over there. By God’s grace I am working at present in Doha Qatar moved from Dubai few years back.
I feel this is the inspiration from God. Please pray for me. I do.
Thank u once again.
While Dr. Billy Graham was riding with his host the Catholic Bishop Vladimar in Russia, Dr. Graham asked him whether the focusing of the message should have any change. After a brief pause, the Bishop responded ” emphasis the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST.
His virgin birth by the word itself a miracle and unique event never happened in history; but we see the next unique event, HE is risen from the grave, and HIS grave is empty.
The sight of the empty grave has miracle working power. I didn’t know, how to define my brother in-law’s religion. His talk was totally focused on money; on the other hand, he won’t believe a thing without seeing and touching. Is it belief? Believing without seeing is belief and JESUS has categorized them as blessed. Talking about GOD or spiritual issues were too hard for me with my dear brother in-law.
He went to Israel for a fun visit, visited the places JESUS walked, and finally visited the grave of JESUS. When I met him after the Holy Land visit, I didn’t ask him anything, indeed was apprehensive that he would contradict the things he has seen there as mere myth. But, to my surprise, the former tight lipped brother in-law began to deliver a long sermon of his visit; said he is a believer in JESUS CHRIST since visiting the Holy Land, especially the empty grave.
THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS MAKES THE TOTAL DIFFERENCE.
Praise be to our Lord Jesus Christ who has truly died and risen from the grave on the third day. Blessed are those who not see but beleive. This is the true faith. and by Faith even we can have miracles in our life. Thank God Almighty for this great power of the Holy Spirit, FYI The same Holy Spirit who made wonders in Jesus’ life makes wonders in each one of our life too.
Jo jaa raha hai woh shareer hai is the famous dialogue from the movie Anand. Maut toh sirf shareer ko aati hai. Atama nahin marti. That’s what we believe in Hinduism. Material body is left by the atma after it gets old and sick or damaged beyond any repair.
Christians believe in resurrection. Their faith and belief is so strong that they may at times go over board with their enthusiasm and end up criticizing other religions as Pagan.This leads to conflict invariably. Why do you think there is no peace in the world? Is it due to minority religions?
Dear Drona.
Wish u too A happy an Blessed Easter. Yes Soul Will not die but if we did good deeds goes to OUR Heavenly Father. This is the belief OF all religions. But Christians Believe that God will in His power rise us from the dead(grave) and make us heavenly bodies where there in no death and we will see God face to face . as Jesus Christ risen from the dead and remains with the Father at His right Hand side in Heaven.the glory of God .he WILL RISE ALL OF US IF WE BELIEVE IN FAITH. Let it be……but believe.
Their faith and belief is so strong that they may at times go over board with their enthusiasm and end up criticizing other religions as Pagan. – Dr. Drones
Pagan or Raghurangan, I don’t know ya Dronu. However, I guess that Sadhvi Jyothi Nirannana’s statement – “Ram(pa)zaadon ya Haraamzaadon” comes to mind.
Why do you think there is no peace in the world? Is it due to minority religions? -Drona.
Sir, your comments are highly inappropriate here, considering how a tiny minority in your own religion belonging to upper caste treats those who are lower in hierarchy. Perhaps a soul searching before castigating others might be a great help. Are you not aware what upper castes and RSS calls those who eat non-vegetarian food. Are you still looking for answers when you very well know how Daliths are treated and called by names worse than pagan. Please spare us from your condescension.
For the sake of interest when I checked Wikipedia – following information is how muslims believe about Jesus’s last days.
“Just before Allah raised Jesus to the Heavens, Jesus went to his disciples, who were twelve inside the house. When he arrived, his hair was dripping with water (as if he had just had a bath) and he said, ‘There are those among you who will disbelieve in me twelve times after you had believed in me.’ He then asked, ‘Who among you will volunteer for his appearance to be transformed into mine, and be killed in my place. Whoever volunteers for that, he will be with me (in Paradise).’ One of the youngest ones among them volunteered, but Jesus asked him to sit down. Jesus asked again for a volunteer, and the same young man volunteered and Jesus asked him to sit down again. Then the young man volunteered a third time and Jesus said, ‘You will be that man,’ and the resemblance of Jesus was cast over that man while Jesus ascended to Heaven from a hole in the roof of the house. When the Jews came looking for Jesus, they found that young man and crucified him”