Lent Is Over. Now What?

      Alleluia!  Christ is risen! Lent is over. Now what? True. The celebration of the day of Easter is over, but the season of Easter has 50 more days or seven weeks to go! How will we celebrate another 50 days ending with the feast of Pentecost?

      St. Benedict mentions in the 49^th chapter of his Rule that the life of a monk ought to be a continuous Lent; however, few have the strength for this. I got the idea that I could let my life be a continuous Lent in a small way by simply choosing one practice that I would like to become part of my ongoing life style. It is a way of attempting to make each Lent transformative, and I believe it does. 

     I came across a website suggesting ways to celebrate the Easter season not just on the Sundays and special feasts during the season but ways to be aware of the Easter season every day throughout the 50 days. The suggestions excited me and I hope to keep the season in mind daily until Pentecost. Below are some of the ideas that I thought would work for me.

·        Use a special candle at meals or during private prayer to recall the light of the

                     Risen Christ.

·        Add an Alleluia to your meal prayers or other prayers.

·        Keep fresh flowers around.

·        Use a special container for the newly blessed water from Church.

·        Say a prayer to the Holy Spirit every day in anticipation of Pentecost.

·        If you live with one or more people, exchange the old Easter greeting and response: “Christ is risen!—He is risen indeed.”

·        Be creative and come up with other ideas.

Have a joyous and grace-filled Easter Season.

Sr. Victoria Eisenman, OSB