Reflection for April 11

The Great Fifty Days of Easter
Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to commemorate this great gift of new life by a season of celebration and joy. This season of Easter provided a time for new converts to explore the mysteries of life in Christ and experience for the first time the wonder of Christ’s living presence made real in the sacraments and the common life of the Christian community. Thereby, the whole congregation was put in mind of the abundance of God’s grace and mercy. I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of the Great Fifty Days of Easter, by praise, feasting, and shared celebration. [Easter Sermon, the Rev. Kristin E. Orr]