Easter: Feast of new life

Paschal mystery
History: The biblical narrative of the liberation of the people of Israel, God's chosen people, from the bondage of slavery in Egypt is written in the book of Exodus as an epic. Through the divine intervention of God, through his faithful servant Moses, the people bring victory over Egyptian dominion and persecution. Crossing the Red Sea and being liberated they sing the song of victory (Book of Exodus, Chapter 15). This figurative event took its fulfilment and completion in and through Jesus Christ, the new Moses, the beloved Son of God.

The empty tomb: The event of Christ's resurrection narrated in the Bible by the gospel writers speaks of the empty tomb. According to the resurrection narrative, Jesus's disciples Peter and John rushed to the tomb only to find the tomb empty. Both saw and believed that Christ is not in the tomb but is risen. The sitting angels tells them of this good news of Christ's resurrection. Today when we celebrate Easter we need to witness the empty tomb of Jesus like Peter and John and proclaim to all Christ's resurrection not merely in words but in deed. Where there is empty tomb there is new life of the risen Lord, Jesus.

The Risen Christ: With his death and resurrection, Jesus initiates a new world for mankind; with the Risen Jesus the whole humanity is risen. Victory over sin and death is obtained for the crying mankind. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans, "Jesus ... was put to death for our sins and raised to life to justify us" (4:25). He died and was raised that we may have eternal life in heaven. With this good news every year the Christian community joyfully celebrates Christ's resurrection which is the ultimate, and goes through Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. In fact, the 40-day season of Lent that begins with Ash Wednesday (February 20) is a spiritual preparation with fasting, penance, almsgiving, works of charity, prayers, etc. for the celebration of this week of paschal mystery traditionally called Holy Week.

Each year's Easter celebration not only takes us back to the divine resurrection history but brings our life to the present. The Risen Christ brings a new time filled with grace, and he lives in this new time. We, for whom Jesus died and brought victory over sin and death through his resurrection, can now enter into his victory and be healed of our sinful state. It is therefore a new kairos where we enter being risen with the risen Lord, being glorified with his glorified existence. Only a transformed person can see the Risen Jesus ever present in the present historical time called chronos.

The disciples and a woman named Maria of Magdala had to make the step gradually from historical Jesus to the Risen Jesus. Maria of Magdala made a very big mistake to see Jesus with mere historicity and thought the risen Jesus was a gardener; the disciples on the way to Emmaus could not recognize him until the breaking of bread by Jesus. Resurrection of Jesus is a history of God's intervention that made Jesus raised from the dead and be in a totally transformed state, a state glorified where every one of us is called to. This glorified Jesus is ever present in this historical time and we are urged to preach this risen Christ to others through our "risen," "new," and "glorified" life. We must move forward from the "tomb" of sins to the "state of glory." Then only will be fruitful our celebration of Easter.

Easter celebration
Liturgy and prayer: Liturgically it begins from the Easter vigil liturgy in the night of Saturday, Holy Saturday which is centralised with the message of liberation from the bondage of sins. This is very well expressed by the blessing of fire and lighting of the big paschal candle from which all light their candles; blessing of water and sprinkling of water over all expressing the bath with the water of the risen Lord; renewal of baptismal promises, i.e., renouncing Satan and his activities and faith in God and Jesus Christ. The whole salvation story runs through the chanting the Easter preface. Easter vigil liturgy announces the resurrection of Jesus singing Alleluiah, meaning praise the Lord! He is Risen! It follows then the Holy Mass with joyful hymns.

In the morning of Easter Sunday all come to Church for Easter liturgy, i.e., a very joyful and meaningful prayer service, we call Eucharistic Celebration or Holy Mass presided by Catholic priest. The worshipping community takes active part in the Easter liturgy with Bible reading, singing Easter hymns, listening to the priest's Easter reflection, praying to Christ the risen Lord for various needs. After the liturgy people with a new fervor greet each other happy Easter wishing Christ's Easter blessing.

Family and socio-cultural heritage: Each family tries its best to fast on Good Friday and make every endeavour to have peace and reconciliation among the members in order to have real joy on Easter Sunday and of course the days after. On Easter Sunday family members exchange Easter greetings and young ones receives Easter blessings through Shelam, or Podo Dhuli Grohon or among the Adibashies through Dobok' Johar. Special food like curd, puffed rice, banana, puffed rice powder (chatu) is very common to find in every family. However, unlike Christmas, Easter festivity and its sentiments lasts for a short time in the society.

Call of Easter
As it is a feast of new life the Easter directly call to every one to rise from the strange and dreadful state and situation of sins and see the risen Lord present in his/her life. How do we celebrate the feast of new beginning while we remain still in the old. The reality is very challenging. There are sinful attractions, sinful activities, sinful attitudes, sinful motivations, even sinful strategies in the name of doing good in the political, social, economic or even religious area of life in our country. We very realistically observe the "tombs" of sins: fighting and killing, terrorism, cheating and bribe, hypocrisy, double personality in dealing with people, materialism, hedonism, distorted sexuality and marital relations, etc. Easter calls all to take the challenge to bring a new situation. The daily newspapers bring us despair and discouragements; yet the Risen Christ when we reflect his victory for us over death and sin brings hope and encouragement.

Conclusion
On the one hand with the development and science and technology the society is becoming modern very fast and so the celebration of Easter and like this any major celebration is loaded with modern techniques. The characteristics of celebration are not as simple as it was one day. On the other hand, people tend to remain only at the level of celebration only ending with fantastic dress with food and drink accompanied by modern music, attractive liturgy, and prayer service. Without ignoring this impressive development, we must come to the reflection, a deep reflection on the Easter event, and take its call as a challenge. We are happy today, we are joyful today, for today is Easter. Let us also take the challenge to live unto its demand: a new and transformed personal and social life implementing peace, social justice, love and service in our life, in our society and at large in our country. And this Easter call is not only for Easter Sunday but is ever constant and contemporary; and it is not only for the Christian community, but it is universal. May the Risen Christ bless our country, bless all our brothers and sisters -- Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, and Christian. Happy Easter to all! Let us sing in one voice: Alleluiah!