Easter
As stated above this Holy Week/Easter season is the center focus of our Christian life. The pivotal service of Easter is the Easter Liturgy on Easter Eve or at dawn on Easter Day depending on the tradition of the parish. We keep vigil, waiting with the Church world-wide for the Lord's rising, we light the New Fire and the Paschal Candle, symbolizing our new life in the risen Christ, it is the traditional time for new believers to be baptized, and in the Eucharist we are sacramental reunited with our risen Lord. But in the Church's worship we are not suddenly brought back to the day-to- day after the summit of Easter Day.
During the 50 days until Pentecost. we are urged to go on journey. It is a period of deepening understanding of the mystery we have celebrated.
It is an extended period of instruction, as it was for the first Christians, as with the risen Jesus in their midst, they began to live the new life.
Near the close of this period we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension when the Lord went back to the Father, taking our human nature with him. and making it possible for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be given to the Church at Pentecost.