Easter isn't Over Yet!

We just celebrated the most important (and beautiful) mass of the entire year––the Easter Vigil.

After the hard work of Lent, the Church finally enters into the jubilant season of Easter, often referred to as Eastertide.

Beginning with the Easter Octave and ending on Pentecost, Eastertide is a time of feasting and celebration, a time to drink fully of the joy of the Resurrection.

But how can we embrace the spirit of this new liturgical season for the next fifty days? Keep reading for unique ways to celebrate the Easter Season.

1. Go to Mass

When we attend mass, we celebrate and enter into the Paschal Mystery––the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

Pope Francis on his catechesis on the Mass said: “Every celebration of the Eucharist is a ray of that never setting sun that is the Risen Jesus. Taking part in the Mass, particularly on Sunday, means entering the victory of the Risen One, being illuminated by his light, warmed by his compassion.”

Adding another Mass to your week or perhaps even going daily is the best way you can enter into the Easter Season.

2. Pray the Liturgy of the Hours

If daily Mass isn’t an option for you the Liturgy of the Hours might be a more accessible form of prayer for you to add to your daily routine. The Liturgy of the Hours, or the Divine Office, extends the Mass throughout the day and allows the Paschal Mystery to permeate our ordinary lives.

Consider adding Morning Prayer, Evening, and/or Night prayer into your daily routine as a reminder of the mercy and faithfulness of the Lord.

3. Light a candle

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. Remember the light of Christ triumphing over darkness, sin, and death through his Resurrection by lighting a candle before dinner or before you pray.

4. Pray the Glorious Mysteries

The Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary offer thoughtful meditation on the events in Christ’s life that we remember and celebrate during this holy time including the Resurrection, Ascension, and Descent of the Holy Spirit.

Pray one rosary (or one decade) daily to keep the mystery of our salvation on your mind and heart throughout this liturgical season.

5. Pray the Regina Caeli

Regina Coeli (or “Queen of Heaven”) honors both the Resurrection and the Blessed Mother. Traditionally, it is prayed or sung at noon in place of the Angelus during Eastertide.

Pausing to pray this short prayer midday reorients your actions towards Christ and is a simple but powerful way to observe the Easter season.

6. Listen to joyful music

Sing a new song to the Lord, for he has done marvelous deeds His right hand and holy arm have won the victory.

For the next fifty days, listen to music that brings joy to your soul, or make a playlist of your favorite hymns/worship music to fill your home with song. You can even sing a simple “Alleluia” before mealtimes.

7. Meditate on Scripture

God reveals Himself through Sacred Scripture, and we can go there to encounter Him, especially during Eastertide.

Read The Acts of the Apostles or try praying Lectio Divina or doing Ignatian Meditation (imaginative prayer) with one of the Resurrection accounts in the Gospel. Place yourself into the story and ask God what He wants to speak to you through it. Let your life be changed through the great story of Salvation.

8. Open your heart to the movements of the Holy Spirit

After His resurrection and before He ascended to heaven, Jesus’ promised to send His Holy Spirit upon his disciples. The Holy Spirit communicates Christ’s glory to believers and allows them to share God’s light with others.

Pietra Fitness’ Morning Glory workout includes meditations on the Holy Spirit still moving in us the way He moved in the disciples present at Pentecost and is a unique way to open your heart to the Spirit.

9. Live as a Missionary Disciple

Before Jesus’ ascended into heaven, He left His disciples with the command to “make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19). Through our baptism, God charges all believers with the same duty.

If we truly believe that Jesus suffered, died, and rose again for our salvation, we should desire for others to know Him too. In the spirit of Easter and Pentecost, live as a missionary disciple.

Intentionally invest in your community, invite others to join you in prayer, or share your testimony with a stranger. Don’t be afraid to boldly proclaim the Good News to others.

10. Feast!

Whereas Lent was a time for fasting, Easter (especially the Octave) is a time for feasting.

Make a special meal or your favorite dessert as a way to celebrate. Host a family brunch or make cookies for your parish priest. Allow yourself to enjoy (in moderation) the sweet things of the world.

Now that doesn’t mean you should stuff your face for fifty whole days. Rather, Easter is an invitation to see food and drink as a gift from God. And like all gifts, it can point us to the Giver.