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Celebrating Everyday Spirituality

Sunflower Seeds

Celebrating Everyday Spirituality

Easter Quotations

Happy Easter! My gift for you today are these quotations for Easter. All of them, I believe, give some insight into the great Feast we are celebrating.

+ The most important question concerning Jesus, then, is simply this: Do we think he is dead or alive?…If Jesus is dead we can learn about him, but we cannot reasonably expect to learn more from him. If he is alive, everything changes. (Luke Timothy Johnson)

+ Easter is not time for argument. Lilies don’t argue, they bloom. Springtime doesn’t argue, it comes. Music doesn’t argue, it sings. Beauty doesn’t argue, it beckons and points. Love doesn’t argue, it outlives our griefs. (Frederick easter tulipsindexSpeakman)

+ Easter: It is almost too brilliant for me to contemplate; it is like looking directly into the sun.” (Madeleine L’Engle)

+ Easter is not a passport to another world; it is a quality of perception for this one. (W.P. Lemon)

+ Jesus’ resurrection says despite suffering, despite injustice, despite misery, and despite death, everything would still be all right in the end. Because his Father was love. (Andrew Greeley)

+ Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf of springtime. (Martin Luther)

+ The simplest meaning of Easter is that we are living in a world in which God has the last word. (Anonymous)

+ Jesus has truly risen and we with Him. Easter is behind us in one way, but around us and before us as well. Joy is not always an emotion we experience constantly, but it is our orientation as Christians. (Larry Gillick, SJ)easter eggsimages

+ God did not will for Jesus to die. God simply surrendered Jesus to us and our institutions…No, what God willed for Jesus was Resurrection and that, we too often forget, is precisely what God wills for us. (Joan Chittister, OSB)

+ There would be no Christmas if there was no Easter. (Gordon Hinkley)

+ I wish each of us Easter eyes, able to perceive in death, life; in guilt, forgiveness; in separation, unity; in wounds, glory; in the human, God; in God, the human; and in the I, the You. (Bishop Klaus Hemmerle)

+ A Sister was telling her first graders the story of the passion and death of Jesus. Evidently she became somewhat emotional. One little boy left his seat, walked up to her, took her hand and said, “It’s all right, Sister. The story has a happy ending.” (anonymous)

happy easter

The music I chose for today’s Feast is George Frideric Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from his Messiah which debuted in 1742. I’m offering two versions both sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The first shows the choir. The second displays the lyrics to the song. Take your pick. I confess, when I hear this piece, I often get tears in my eyes because it is so incredibly beautiful and it exudes so much faith, hope, love, and joy!

“Halleluja Chorus” with lyrics:

Do you have any thoughts on Easter you’d like to share?

12 Responses

  1. Happy Easter Sr. Melannie and Everyone!

    I love all these quotes and the Hallelujah Chorus. All I can say is Praise God He is Alive and our joy is endless because of it. I can only imagine how awestruck the women were at the tomb. There’s more, as we continue through the next 40 days, but I will bask in the moment that is today!

  2. I love that first grader! We all can learn from him to react to others and then act and remember the story has a happy ending for all of us.

  3. A blessed and Happy Easter to you. Sr. Melannie. Thank you for sharing these inspirational thoughts and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s beautiful rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus. Indeed, He is risen! Alleluia!

  4. Thanks so much, Sr. Melannie, for these Easter thoughts and for the Hallelujah Chorus! I ask all of you for prayers for us as we travel to St. Louis tomorrow for the election of a new leadership team for our Dominican Sisters of Peace, who on April 9th will be 6 years old. We are eight Dominican communities who merged in 2009. We are now 545 sisters and 510 Associates. We are committed to preach the Easter message throughout the world!

    1. Dear Celeste, We will all certainly pray for the elections of a new leadership team for the Dominican Sisters of Peace. I was taught by your Sisters (out of Akron, OH) from grades 6-8 many years ago! God bless you! Melannie

  5. Every year at the end of the Easter Masses at my church the choir sings the Hallelujah chorus. I make sure I have tissue with me! I love to sing along although mine is not a voice that belongs in choir. He shall reign forever and ever! Hallelujah!
    Easter Blessings!

  6. What a beautful way to celebrate Easter! I was only able to go to Easter Mass this year because of the flu. The Hallelujah Chorus was part of my Easter Celebration this year. Jesus is truly risen!

    Kathleen

  7. The Halleluia chorus is wonderful whether by a huge choir and orchestra or a small flash mob…inspired and uplifting. Having learned and sung it, I know the intricacies of the score but feel it is one of those pieces (being inspired) touches the heart and fibre of most people. It was great to hear it again today, this Easter week.

  8. So inspirational! He is risen and he is alive! Dear Sister, thank you for sharing so many quotes that help us express to each other and to nonbelievers just how joyful Easter is for us – it is everything. I met with my friend Pat Livingston yesterday and she told me about your blog and said how much she enjoys it. I can see why! Also, I am assisting in the coordination of a women’s retreat in St Petersburg, FL in January. (Who doesn’t want to come to St. Petersburg in January!?) I wonder if you can email me so I can give you more detail and see if there might be a fit!
    God’s Peace, L

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Hi and welcome to my blog! I’m Sister Melannie, a Sister of Notre Dame residing in Chardon, Ohio, USA. I’ve been very lucky! I was raised in a loving family on a small farm in northeast Ohio. I also entered the SNDs right after high school. Over the years, my ministries have included high school and college teaching, novice director, congregational leadership, spiritual direction, retreat facilitating, and writing. I hope you enjoy “Sunflower Seeds” and will consider subscribing below. I’d love to have you in our “sunflower community.” Thank you!

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