April 21. EASTER MONDAY.  In South Africa this is celebrated as Family Day, a day for moms and dads and grandparents and children and siblings and aunts and uncles and any members of the extended family, and beyond them the Family of God to remember to celebrate and proclaim: “The Lord is risen, Alleluia.”   

EASTER 2025, a story 

The Greek owner at the Spar greeted all the customers who came in to buy Easter eggs by saying,  “The Lord is risen, Alleluia.” Instead of saying, “Thanks be to God, Alleluia,” which is the right reply, most of them looked at him funnily and went on to get their eggs.

That is what worried Jesus in heaven with the Father and the Holy Spirit and many, many, many people who had died and come to heaven. “What can you see happening over there,” he asked.   An old man spirit said, “Same as always, same as yesterday, today and tomorrow, wars here and there, floods, people going shopping, going on holiday, lots of accidents, tut-tut, and the floods and snow last winter were devastating. Climate change is with us, I say! ”

Jesus answered, “You’re right, but in some way people can also learn from their experiences. Didn’t some of those awful things bring any of those people closer to God?”  But he still looked sad.

A little girl spirit said, “but look over there, aren’t there lots and lots of children running around their gardens, looking under bushes and even climbing trees. I remember we used to do that before I got sick. We were looking for Easter eggs and it was so exciting.”

Jesus smiled, but still in a kind of a sad way. “I wonder whether they’re thinking of me, of us, my Father and I, how we planned this whole business to help them. They were sinners  and did so many bad things. Even children fought with each other, stole things and bullied each other and lots of other stuff.   So we decided that they needed a new kind of life.  I went to them, came as a baby, grew up and started teaching them and eventually their leaders didn’t like what I was saying, so they took me and killed me.  OK, that was part of the plan, but it was very painful. But the best part was that the Father raised me up again, brought me back to life and that is where the new life came in.  All those Easter eggs, and bunnies and chickens are about new life, sure, but it is my kind of new life, a life of greater kindness, more love, less fighting and wars. That is what we were planning for.  Do those chocolate goodies really help to remind people of that? And when they’ve eaten so much chocolate that they’re feeling sick have they thought about other children who don’t even get to eat a piece of bread?   I think we have a long way to go to get people to hear the real message. It’s also not so much about the things they give each other but the gift that I gave them.   You see it is all about love and joy.

I think I’ll have to get the Spirit to go over there and remind them and give a special blessing to that Greek man at the Spar for doing his bit.   That’s what everyone should be doing.  Tell the people, “The Lord is risen, Alleluia. Be filled with joy and happiness and share it with everyone around you.”  Then they can all reply.  “Thanks be to God, Alleluia.  I will share your joy and your peace in my world.”  

And Jesus said to himself and to the Spirit, “So let them enjoy their Easter, enjoy their Easter eggs, but remind them not to eat too much chocolate. It’s really not good for them and they might end up here in heaven sooner than they think.”   TR

Reflect, share and act. Scripture: This Jesus God raised up and of that we are all witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit he has poured out this which you see and hear.  Acts 2:33. Pope Francis:  If a family is centred on Christ he will unify and illumine its entire life.  Moments of pain and difficulty will be experienced in union with the Lord’s cross.  Family prayer is a special way of expressing and strengthening this paschal faith. Moments of joy, relaxation, celebration and even sexuality can be experienced as a sharing in the full life of the resurrection.  AL 317. JUBILEE.  All of us, however, need to recover the joy of living, since men and women, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26), cannot rest content with getting along one day at a time, settling for the here and now and seeking fulfilment in material realities alone. This leads to a narrow individualism and the loss of hope; it gives rise to a sadness that lodges in the heart and brings forth fruits of discontent and intolerance.  During the Holy Year, we are called to be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind.  Choose an appropriate action to share your Easter joy.