Returning to the Father's House

The text of the announcement of the death of Pope Francis was read Easter Monday by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived:  “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, The Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the Father’s house. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His church.” Jesus’ resurrection from the dead assures us who believe that we, too, will rise from the dead and will return to the Father’s house after a life dedicated to the service of the Lord.

Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord begins the Great Fifty Days or Eastertide. The number 50 has deep roots in scripture and tradition. In the Jewish calendar, Shavuot (or Pentecost) comes 50 days after Passover and celebrates the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. Christians celebrate Pentecost as the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, empowering them to go out and share the good news. The 50 days of Easter mirror this journey—from the empty tomb to the fire of Pentecost. It’s a season that moves us from awe to action.

The death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, during this season of the Resurrection, provides for us additional impetus for reflection: to keep celebrating the meaning of Easter by considering small acts of joy or gratitude each day; to dive into the post-resurrection accounts in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles; to share hope by reaching out to someone who could use some encouragement; to pray with the season by using the Easter prayers and songs at Mass throughout these 50 days; to notice signs of the resurrection and new life in our daily routine. We move from the awe of the season to the actions of the season.