He is Risen! He is Risen, indeed! For those who believe, today is the pinnacle of our liturgical year. Today we celebrate the everlasting life promised us in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “To the Paschal Victim offer your thankful praises…” (The Easter Sequence).
 
What does it mean to be a ‘Resurrection People?’ God changed our bi-covenant (you do what you are supposed to do and then I will too) to His New Covenant in Jesus Christ. God filled in the gap between God and us in the person of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins, our transgressions, He, who was sinless. In doing so, there is nothing that can keep us from the love of God. Just like David in the Scriptures, we too are anointed, and God rushes upon us always.
 
What do we do with this knowledge? We live in hope; we live in the light of Christ. In doing so, we live as Resurrection People. Others around us may be drawn to our joy in Christ, even in the midst of life’s trials and sorrow. We live in the joyful knowledge that death has no sting; sin and death are conquered─and so we live in the joy of resurrection and new life.
 
I feel that is what takes place in the persons of our Music Ministry at St. Aidan: others are drawn into our joy in Christ—this is our work. I would like to express heart-felt appreciation and thanks to the members of this Ministry who have worked tirelessly for weeks to lead our Community in sung praise. God bless you for your commitment of time and talent in service to this parish. You are a Resurrection People!
 
We know that “Death and Resurrection” is God’s pattern for creation! As believers we recognize God in this pattern and in our participation in this pattern. “Love’s redeeming work is done, fought the fight, the battle won. Made like Him, like Him we rise, ours the Cross, the Grave, the Skies!” (Text from the hymn: Christ the Lord is Risen Today) Amen, Alleluia! He is Risen, He is Risen, indeed!
 Keep singing!
 
​Elizabeth Dyc

Some years my “Keep Singing” article for the Palm/Passion Sunday Bulletin was titled “Pilgrimage to the Holy Land.” It basically drew a parallel between an actual trip to the Holy Land and attendance at all the liturgies of Holy Week: from Palm /Passion Sunday, through The Triduum and to Easter Sunday. These liturgies are the story of the final days of the earthly journey of Jesus in Jerusalem, Gethsemane and Golgotha. These liturgies are your opportunity to travel to these times and places, too─without the danger, the inconvenience of travel, and the expense. Participation in these liturgies is a journey together of our faith; our confirmation of belief, unified in the Community of Christ.
 
Many people have now experienced the movie, “The Passion of the Christ.” I personally recommend the movie as an artistic expression of the story we know so well. If you have the opportunity to experience the musical and scriptural story of the Passion by attending a production of ‘The Seven Last Words of Christ” by Theodore Dubois, it also is a spiritual, emotional and musically moving interpretation of the Passion story, too. Both experiences, the film and the musical, are emotional and thought-provoking. Just imagine, then, the effect of actual worship of God in the midst of this story of our faith! This is what it means to attend and participate in these liturgies.
 
When we travel, we travel prepared: we pack our suitcases carefully with the items needed for our journey, we leave our homes ready for our return, and we attend to the details that make our journeys meaningful. My suggestion is to take the same care in preparation for this journey of faith: to read the scripture; to be rested in order to truly focus and hear the Word; to prepare your spirit through the Sacrament of Reconciliation; to plan “attendance first” to the liturgies─and let other stuff come second. When we prepare well for a journey, we will make the most of it.
 
May the Passion of Christ be your Passion, too.
God bless you and keep singing!

​Elizabeth Dyc