What does the Resurrection really mean in our daily lives?
This Easter reflection from Fr. David Colhour, CP, explores how the story of the empty tomb is not about dramatic spectacle, but about a quiet, steady light that transforms us over time.
From the women discovering the empty tomb to our own personal journeys of faith, we are invited to recognize Christ already present among us.
As we reflect on prayer, service, sacrifice, and love during Lent, we begin to see how these practices open us to the light of resurrection. Easter is not just a single day—it’s a season, a way of living, and a lifelong journey of growing into new life.
Wishing you a blessed and inspired Easter season.
This transcript has been prepared for clarity, accessibility, searchability and readability, though minor variations from the original video may occur.
Easter Begins in Quiet Wonder
Happy Easter to you. You know, it was early in the morning on that first day of the week. The women went to the tomb. They went there to anoint Jesus’s body. They discovered the stone had already been rolled back and the tomb was empty. You know, that tells us a lot.
A Gentle Dawn, Not a Loud Proclamation
Easter doesn’t begin with loud, trumpet-blaring, bombastic hallelujahs. It begins far more like a glorious sunrise. A light begins to overwhelm the darkness that we had. It tells us what we go looking for may not be there. Instead, God has done something beautiful.
The Mystery of Resurrection
It tells us that we don’t have the vocabulary for the experience, for resurrection creates something new. It tells us it takes a long time to grow into resurrection. It doesn’t happen instantaneously. It tells us it’s not Peter, James, and John—the people who are always with Jesus in the Gospel—who are discovering the empty tomb. It forces us to reinterpret what an empty tomb means.
Resurrection in Our Lives
So when we start talking about resurrection in our own lives, I believe it’s something that just begins to gently overwhelm us. It’s that light that gently begins to shine. Sometimes it takes us a long time to wake up to that reality. Sometimes it takes us a whole life. Sometimes the light bulb comes on with a dream.
The Lenten Journey and Its Purpose
Throughout this Lenten season, we’ve given you opportunities to reflect on things like prayer, almsgiving, fasting, community, service, discipleship, suffering, and love. We do those things not to make ourselves more holy, but because we need that light to illuminate our reality.
Living as Easter People
Christ is already in our midst, and the more we are aware of that, the easier it is to live in resurrected life. While the Church gives us only eight days to celebrate Christmas and forty days to celebrate Lent, we get fifty days—fifty days of the Easter season. That’s because we’re supposed to be Easter kinds of people. It takes longer to keep pondering, to keep deepening the mystery.
A Blessing for the Journey
So as Easter continues to unfold with you, thank you for walking with us as Passionists on this journey. Hopefully, the reflections we have offered this season of Lent will continue to bring new light and inspiration to you. Have a very blessed and inspired Easter season. May the light of Christ continue to illuminate you. God bless you, and thanks for your prayers.
