He Has Risen!

By: Sophia Novak

"Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!" (Luke 24:5-6) We

have finally made it to Easter and have gone through Lent! This is a time to rejoice! A time to show how

much the Lord means to us. But as this Lenten season comes to an end, that does not mean these offerings we gave up to God need to end. As Catholics, we have all given up many worldly things to help grow our relationship with Christ. But as we transition into Ordinary Time, there are still many ways we can continue to give God the graces He deserves.

As we know, Lent is split into three different categories: prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. We can

commit to taking these things from this season of fasting into our daily lives. The first thing to go over is

almsgiving. Almsgiving is the way that the Lord had us fall in love with Him and His works. He heals the

sick, forgives sinners, forgives the people who hurt Him, and is never afraid to stand up for the truth. And

through almsgiving, we can do deeds throughout our community to continue to shine Christ's light on our

world. Giving our time and resources to others really helps to lift our spirits and those around us. Whether that's volunteering at a food pantry, homeless shelter, or even giving time to help out around your local parish, these are amazing things that will continue to benefit your life with Christ.

Next is prayer. Having a strong prayer life with the Lord is the most important aspect of a relationship with Christ. God wants us to make that space for Him in our hearts. And the only way that we can do this is by having a continuous, strong relationship with Him through prayer. In Lent, many of us

have added things like saying a rosary daily and attending the Stations of the Cross. Offering up sacrifices

to someone each day, or simply making a few seconds dedicated to the Lord at the beginning of each

morning. Having a good foundation to walk on throughout this journey of life makes the challenges and

hardships that we face much easier to tackle.

And lastly, we have fasting. This is what most people really focus on during Lent. Whether it's

giving up chocolates and sweets, less/no social media, your favorite fast food restaurants, or anything else

that God placed on your heart to fast from. Giving up these parts of our lives during these 40 days is a

huge success after enduring this trial. And although it is something no one wants to do, it is important to

consider still doing small bits of fasting throughout the year. They may not be as big and bold as the ones

we use for Lent, but they could be as simple as watching a Godly show once a week, continuing no-meat

Fridays, or even giving up the first few minutes of your mornings without a screen. God sees the work

that all of us put into having this concrete relationship. And fasting is a great way to show your devotion

and love to Christ. Even if it may seem like a small deed, it is much more than that in God's eyes.

Ending Lent and moving into Easter is a joyful time for all of us. And continuing to do these

deeds for Christ throughout the rest of the year will help us to maintain this joyful feeling even as the

Easter season passes. God will be shining down on the path that He wants us to take throughout the rest of our lives. It's just a matter of whether we choose to take it.