Oftentimes during Lent we pour our hearts into prayer, fasting, and sacrifice, offering everything to Jesus in gratitude for His love. But when Easter Sunday arrives, many of us aren’t quite sure how to live the joy that follows. We risk treating the Resurrection as a one-day event rather than the history-changing reality it is — the moment Christ made all things new.
This year, during Holy Saturday Mass, my parish priest, Fr. John Fogliasso, shared a beautiful perspective about life and how we can incorporate Easter in it.
He said, “The question is not whether we change. The question is: What are we becoming? Easter answers that question, because Easter is not just about what happened to Jesus — it’s about what happens to us because of Jesus. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen. Death is defeated. But here’s the key: the Resurrection is not just something we celebrate — it’s something we’re invited into.”
He invited us to leave our faults in the tomb and step into the new life Christ offers. As the Lord declares in Revelation 21:5, “Behold, I make all things new.” Through His Resurrection, Jesus has done exactly that. The Easter Season — those radiant 50 days until Pentecost — is our time to rise with Him and deepen our relationship with the living Lord.
So how do we truly encounter the Risen Christ and allow His grace to transform us?
1Immerse yourself in the Acts of the Apostles.
Read a short passage from Acts each day. Watch how the first disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, moved from fear to bold witness. Their lives were radically changed by the Resurrection — ours can be too. Let their example inspire you to live with the same Easter confidence.
2Make the Resurrection a turning point in your own story.
The Resurrection didn’t just change history; it can change your history. Each morning, name three areas of your life where you once felt stuck or defeated. With the power of the empty tomb, entrust them to the Risen Lord and affirm: “Because Christ is risen, I can begin again.” Let this season be marked by hope and fresh starts.
3Encounter Christ by encountering others anew.
Every person you meet bears the imprint of the Resurrection. Approach even those you find difficult with fresh eyes — listen generously, offer kindness, and look for the ways Christ is at work in them. Sometimes the greatest witness is simply being present and attentive.
4Discover (or rediscover) your unique mission.
The first Christians had the urgent task of proclaiming the Resurrection to the world. In our own time and place, each of us has a particular vocation to make Christ’s victory known. Lean into your passions and talents: If you love gardening, beautify your parish grounds as an act of love. If you enjoy quilting, begin a group that creates baptismal gifts for new babies in the parish. If reading is your joy, start a book club focused on lives of the saints or Catholic spirituality. Turn what you love into a bridge that brings others to the Risen One.
5Embrace a small but beautiful tradition from the Church’s treasury.
The Easter Season is rich with customs that draw us closer to God. Begin praying the Regina Coeli instead of the Angelus. Wear a scapular or Miraculous Medal with renewed devotion. Visit a cemetery once a week to pray for the dead, remembering that Christ’s Resurrection is their hope too. Or add a short novena to your prayer time. These “little” practices are powerful channels of grace.
Whatever you choose, approach the coming weeks as if hearing the Good News of the Resurrection for the very first time. Let the Risen Christ surprise you. He is calling you — not just to believe in His rising, but to rise with Him, bringing His light and joy into every corner of your life.
