Christ is Risen!

The Eastern Christian Church traditionally uses the greeting and response "Christ is Risen!" and "Truly, He is Risen!" ( the Paschal greeting) as an Easter custom. The portion of the Letter of Paul to the Colossians read from the Roman Catholic Lectionary this Easter morning concludes with the assertion that "when Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:4). Our relationship with Christ is the source for revelation of who we are. It gives us the path to  deep understanding of our "Who" and "Why". The Gospel of John tells of the search of Mary Magdalene for the the body of Jesus as she is distressed about finding the empty tomb. The intimacy of her relationship with Jesus called her to seek the closure of anointing His body. The revelation that He continues to be in intimate relationship with her after His Resurrection presents to her the truth about her life that she is sister of the Living God. A review of the Easter messages in text, tradition and liturgy reinforces the understanding that we are called through union with Christ in Baptism and the acceptance of the invitation to allow Christ to be living within us and we within the Mystical Body through Eucharist to be Christ to the world. The Paschal greeting recognizes that every person we meet is part of the Risen Body of Christ and our mission to see Christ in others is working and they are able to see Christ in us. Happy Easter!