The Faith of Easter

Let me set the stage for my musings: I love Easter, Holy Saturday, the pinnacle of the Triduum, the dying and the rising, the fire, the incense, the baptism, the newness, the light, the readings and responses, the Alleluia.

The first reading of the Easter Vigil sets the stage. It gives me chills just typing these words:

Then God said: “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw how good the light was. God then separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” Thus evening came, and morning followed – the first day.

Genesis 1:3-5 

I recently heard an author, Clint Smith, read a poem called “Universal,” from his children’s book “Above Ground.” In the poem, Smith wrote about his son’s room. On the bedroom wall was a poster of the solar system with the sun sitting at the center. Each of the eight planets circle the yellow-orange orb – each orbit depicted by a thin white line that makes it look like each is being held up in the universe by a string.    

Reading Smith’s poem and the description, a thought hit me: Easter!

Further on, the first reading of Easter Vigil continues:

God created mankind in his image; in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

The first chapter of Genesis concludes:

God looked at everything he had made, and found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed – the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31

You..

Me…

We.

Do you hear the words?

In the image of God, He created them.

We were made by God in His image! 

He gave us the sun. Each planet orbits the sun, attached by that invisible thread.

He gave us His Son, so that we might follow – might orbit – Him. 

Your invisible thread, your faith, your orbit holds you, and binds you.

What would happen to our solar system should one thread be broken?

A catastrophe, a big bang like we have never before experienced, would occur.

So, too, with us. We get distracted. Our thread and our orbit is pulled tight. Sometimes, it is stretched thin.

We are not orbiting our Son and our focus is distracted. 

How do we regroup?

Well, I hope like me, you move through these weeks of Easter toward Pentecost, regroup and renewed by your Baptismal promises: 

Do you believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth?

R. I do…

I really do…

Do you?

 

In Christ,

Fran Simpson

Retired Army Spouse, Writer