A Reason For Octaves

2 Apr

“An action by itself is insignificant but an action repeated every day is life-changing.”
~ Avina Celeste

There is something to be said for repetition. So often in our lives, we look for something new, something different, something exciting. We say that we do not want to be stuck in a rut, that we do not want to do the same thing over and over again. There are some merits to that thought. However, there is something to be said for doing the same thing over and over again.

I go to Walt Disney World every year. Yes, you heard me. Every year. Shortly after New Year’s Day, I head out for nearly two weeks in order to decompress after all the work of Advent and Christmas. I go to get away from all the headaches of administration and to clear my mind. Some would think that going to the same place annually would quickly become boring. Not so. I still see new things there and I have been doing this for thirty-five years. Sometimes exhibits change, even slightly, and I see them. I see the newness all around me and marvel at it.

We are doing the same thing today — and tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that… We will be doing the same thing every day this week. That same thing is called Easter. Yep. We are in the Octave of Easter and, each day, the Mass is of Easter. The prayers are Easter prayers. The readings are resurrection accounts. The Eucharistic Prayer includes the insert used on Easter Day.

Why do we do this? So that we can continue to focus on Easter and, in doing so, see a different facet of it. We get to see the newness of Easter all around us and marvel at it.

Christ has risen as He said. Alleluia, Alleluia!

FAITH ACTION:  Just because Easter Day is over, do not put it out of your mind. Instead, take a good amount of time today to reflect upon the resurrection of Jesus and what it means to you.