“The Lord
has risen from the dead, as he said; let us all exult and rejoice, for he
reigns for all eternity, alleluia”
- Entrance
Antiphons for Monday within the Octave of Easter
Holy Mother
Church has received a great number of new members – those baptized at the
Solemn Easter Vigil! The next fifty days shall be a time of rejoicing
especially for them, but also for us, for their Baptism is a reminder for us of
our salvation. Even when a parish does not baptize anyone at the Easter Vigil,
the Renewal of the Baptismal Promises still takes place. In fact, the Mass of
Easter Sunday morning is marked by this great ceremony, for even though it was
celebrated the evening before, all of the other majestic rites overshadowed it, but on Sunday, despite all the glorious joys which may accompany that morning's Mass, the Renewal of the Baptismal Promises is a distinct difference to even the most casual observer.
In place of the Creed, the Renewal of the Baptismal Promises and Sprinkling with Holy Water follows the homily, and instead of the normal Asperges me antiphon which accompanies the Rite of Sprinkling, the Vidi Aquam is used in its place. As we have so often noted these past few days, Easter is all about the new life of grace we have been born into through Baptism. This is the reason the Easter Bunny may be appropriately a symbol of this day (of course not at the expense of our Lord being the reason for the day); the rabbit is a sign of new life, due to their especially fertile nature.
Yet it is not simply this new life that we celebrate, but all the graces and fruits bestowed on us through it. How appropriate it is that Easter falls during the season of Spring, for the world is spurting with the beginning of fruits and flowers, which produce all sorts of joyous fragrances and delights! Indeed, we may say the land is flowing with "milk and honey!"
Now that our Lenten fasts are ended and we feast in the joys and foods of Easter, we may look back and see all of the benefits we derived from that most sacred season, and thus, contemplate the spiritual meal we now enjoy in our souls this Eastertide. It is for this reason that the Renewal of Baptismal Promises takes place on Easter Sunday, as it is the Solemnity which brings us from Lent into the Easter Season.
During Lent we spiritually wandered the desert with the Israelites. Now, during the Easter Season, we have been led into the Promised Land, the life of grace, and it is through Baptism that we were brought into this Land. Thus, we renew our commitment to live the life of grace and union with God!
And this life does overflow with spiritual milks and honey. When we consider the pleasures the world has to offer, they are as nothing compared with the graces we may gain when we are united to God.
Physically and sensually, although we must live on a fallen earth now, when the Lord recreates the earth, the wonders will be like nothing man has built, for God, THE Artist, will be the One Who shapes them. Our bodies will no longer be subject to decay or illness, even now, when the Christian lives their new life, they practice the virtue of temperance to provide for a healthy body. The world says to indulge, the Church says to moderate, and we know from science and health that the moderation will produce a longer life.
Intellectually, the spiritual life of grace provides us with the greatest source of knowledge we can ever achieve, for only when united with God can we contemplate and come to know Him, Who is the highest Thing man can come to know. And this knowledge will never be complete; there will always be something more for man to understand about his God. No matter how vast the things which can be learned in the world are, they will always be limited, but God is infinite, and the understanding we have of Him can always be deepened.
But perhaps the greatest benefit we may derive from the spiritual life in union with God, is the love that is bestowed upon us, and which we shall give to others. It can hardly be argued that everyone wants to be loved. Indeed, this desire is one of the most basic attributes that can be recognized in young children; they long for affection. This is no different in adults, yet no matter where we go or whom we choose to attempt to fulfill this longing with, there is only One Who can perfectly fulfill our desire, and it is the Triune God, Who is Love Itself.
In exchange for this love, the Lord asks only that we keep His commands (John 15:14). It is true that He will love us regardless, but if we keep His law, we shall then be called "Friends of God," and the Lord is never to be outdone in generosity to His friends! "His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3)," and the delight we receive from keeping them would be a sufficient reward in itself! Yet God would not have it be so, but always wishes to bestow more of His love and graces upon us!
Lastly, unlike earthly kingdoms and friends, we never need fear losing these benefits or this Friend, save through our own fault, and even then the Lord is waiting to welcome us back into His friendship and to restore those gifts to us! And how may we know this? It is because we know that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! He lives and reigns eternally! His Kingdom will not pass away!
It is for this reason the Easter Season lasts fifty days, as opposed to the season of Lent, which lasted for forty. Our earthly lives and joys will pass away, but the joys of Heaven, that Land, "flowing with milk and honey," shall never pass away. Let us, then, who have renewed our Baptismal Promises and been sprinkled with the waters of new life, recommit ourselves to fully following the Lord. Let us enjoy the delights He bestows, but let us ultimately find rest and peace in His love.
In place of the Creed, the Renewal of the Baptismal Promises and Sprinkling with Holy Water follows the homily, and instead of the normal Asperges me antiphon which accompanies the Rite of Sprinkling, the Vidi Aquam is used in its place. As we have so often noted these past few days, Easter is all about the new life of grace we have been born into through Baptism. This is the reason the Easter Bunny may be appropriately a symbol of this day (of course not at the expense of our Lord being the reason for the day); the rabbit is a sign of new life, due to their especially fertile nature.
Yet it is not simply this new life that we celebrate, but all the graces and fruits bestowed on us through it. How appropriate it is that Easter falls during the season of Spring, for the world is spurting with the beginning of fruits and flowers, which produce all sorts of joyous fragrances and delights! Indeed, we may say the land is flowing with "milk and honey!"
Now that our Lenten fasts are ended and we feast in the joys and foods of Easter, we may look back and see all of the benefits we derived from that most sacred season, and thus, contemplate the spiritual meal we now enjoy in our souls this Eastertide. It is for this reason that the Renewal of Baptismal Promises takes place on Easter Sunday, as it is the Solemnity which brings us from Lent into the Easter Season.
During Lent we spiritually wandered the desert with the Israelites. Now, during the Easter Season, we have been led into the Promised Land, the life of grace, and it is through Baptism that we were brought into this Land. Thus, we renew our commitment to live the life of grace and union with God!
And this life does overflow with spiritual milks and honey. When we consider the pleasures the world has to offer, they are as nothing compared with the graces we may gain when we are united to God.
Physically and sensually, although we must live on a fallen earth now, when the Lord recreates the earth, the wonders will be like nothing man has built, for God, THE Artist, will be the One Who shapes them. Our bodies will no longer be subject to decay or illness, even now, when the Christian lives their new life, they practice the virtue of temperance to provide for a healthy body. The world says to indulge, the Church says to moderate, and we know from science and health that the moderation will produce a longer life.
Intellectually, the spiritual life of grace provides us with the greatest source of knowledge we can ever achieve, for only when united with God can we contemplate and come to know Him, Who is the highest Thing man can come to know. And this knowledge will never be complete; there will always be something more for man to understand about his God. No matter how vast the things which can be learned in the world are, they will always be limited, but God is infinite, and the understanding we have of Him can always be deepened.
But perhaps the greatest benefit we may derive from the spiritual life in union with God, is the love that is bestowed upon us, and which we shall give to others. It can hardly be argued that everyone wants to be loved. Indeed, this desire is one of the most basic attributes that can be recognized in young children; they long for affection. This is no different in adults, yet no matter where we go or whom we choose to attempt to fulfill this longing with, there is only One Who can perfectly fulfill our desire, and it is the Triune God, Who is Love Itself.
In exchange for this love, the Lord asks only that we keep His commands (John 15:14). It is true that He will love us regardless, but if we keep His law, we shall then be called "Friends of God," and the Lord is never to be outdone in generosity to His friends! "His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3)," and the delight we receive from keeping them would be a sufficient reward in itself! Yet God would not have it be so, but always wishes to bestow more of His love and graces upon us!
Lastly, unlike earthly kingdoms and friends, we never need fear losing these benefits or this Friend, save through our own fault, and even then the Lord is waiting to welcome us back into His friendship and to restore those gifts to us! And how may we know this? It is because we know that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! He lives and reigns eternally! His Kingdom will not pass away!
It is for this reason the Easter Season lasts fifty days, as opposed to the season of Lent, which lasted for forty. Our earthly lives and joys will pass away, but the joys of Heaven, that Land, "flowing with milk and honey," shall never pass away. Let us, then, who have renewed our Baptismal Promises and been sprinkled with the waters of new life, recommit ourselves to fully following the Lord. Let us enjoy the delights He bestows, but let us ultimately find rest and peace in His love.
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