A sacred heart of Jesus stained-glass window is pictured at Mount Melleray Abbey in Waterford, Ireland. May this be our prayer, not just this Lent, but each morning: that our hearts are sealed for God. (CNS photo/Cillian Kelly)
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Alleluia! This year the joy of Easter is amplified by the opportunity to celebrate Mass in person as a community for the first time in two years without limitations. Families will most certainly gather in the way that they are most comfortable.
Many have referred to Lent 2020 being extended through the last two years and people have prayed more and drawn closer to Christ while the pandemic tested our faith. Most Catholics know that Lent lasts 40 days but not as many are aware that Eastertide lasts even longer. The season starts on Easter Sunday and ends 50 days later on Pentecost Sunday.
This time of our liturgical year is filled with beautiful and traditional prayer opportunities. The church dedicates the month of April to the Holy Spirit, and Pope Francis’ prayer intention is for health care workers. May is dedicated to our Holy Mother, and the pope’s prayer intention is for faith-filled young people.
Here are some suggestions for how to mark these special 50 days of Eastertide.
Set aside time each day to call on the Holy Spirit to guide you in your prayer intentions. It could become a new daily practice that continues beyond the season. Here is a wonderful prayer to offer:
Holy Spirit, Come! Dwell in my heart. Illuminate my mind. Direct my footsteps. Be my guide. Amen.
Do a daily Examen over the 50 days and chart what you struggle with that separates you from the Lord. Many Catholic apps have an Examen built into them, but you may also find one on ignatianspirituality.com. You could also journal your responses to the five parts of the traditional Ignatian Examen:
Ask God for light.
Give thanks for the day.
Review the day.
Face your shortcomings.
Look forward to the day ahead.
Read the book of Psalms in 50 days. There are 150 psalms, and if you read three a day you will have read the entire book during this glorious season. Many Psalms are well known to us. But an exploration of this book filled with wisdom provides ample reflection of God’s promises, guidance and love for his people as we meditate on the gift of the resurrection. My own exploration helped me to discover this beautiful guide to trusting the Lord when faced with trials.
“The Lord is my Light and my salvation; whom should I fear? / The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? / When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh, These my enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall. / Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear; Though war be waged against me, even then do I trust”.
Pray for the intercession of St. Faustina Kowalska to protect Poland on the Solemnity of Divine Mercy Sunday. This saint, who was called by the Lord to design the image of Divine Mercy, venerated it and inspired us to invoke the prayer of “Jesus I Trust In You.”
Offer a rosary or Mass for your mother or young adults in May in response to the church’s dedication to the Blessed Mother and the pope’s prayer intention for young adults.
Last, pray for the intercession of St. Damien de Veuster for an end to the pandemic on his feast day May 10.
While our Catholic tradition calls us to give up something during Lent, Eastertide calls us to draw nearer to Christ and cherish the gift of salvation.
Shery Hayes-Peirce is a church social media consultant based in California.
