(Stock Photo Unsplash)
By Ken Rolheiser
I had a strange blessing of sorts this Easter. A virus hit my throat, and I missed Holy Thursday celebrations – the anniversary of the institution of the Eucharist, the Mass, the priesthood and the church. That was not all.
I missed Good Friday services, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday celebrations. I was not enjoying the new light that replaced the darkness and opened up avenues of grace. And here I am, Easter Monday morning, or is it mourning?
The Resurrection is always Good News! I feel much better today. Almost spry! God is good to us. Time has started over again. I am ready to run and announce the Good News as Mary Magdalene and the other Mary in Matthew 28:8-15. And time has started over.
In “And Time Started Over,” theologian Ron Rolheiser says, “With the resurrection of Jesus, time started over. Simply put, up until Jesus rose from the dead, all things that died stayed dead. After Jesus’ resurrection, nothing stays dead anymore. Time has begun anew.”
Rolheiser continues pointing out that Luke’s Gospel account of the resurrection begins with the words, on the morning of the first day (emphasis added). Sunday is the first day of the week, and the Resurrection is the first day of a new creation.
Time has started over. The world measures time by that day. We are in the year 2026 A.D. since that morning when Jesus rose from the dead. Are we ready to start anew?
Amazingly, there is a resurgence of growth in Christianity and in the Catholic church in particular. Today, Vatican News tells of a record 1.422 billion Catholics, up from 1.406 in 2023. That is a steady growth in hundreds of thousands.
Growth of Christianity is noteworthy as well, with 2.6 billion worldwide. In Nigeria alone, there are one hundred million Christians. Numbers amaze me. I remember when the population of Canada was fourteen million. Today it is forty-one and a half million.
Closer to home, we note remarkable growth in the Catholic Church. The Diocese of Charlotte, N.C., showed a forty percent increase in baptisms in the last two years, and the Archdiocese of Chicago showed a thirty-eight percent increase. Vancouver Diocese reported more than six hundred baptisms this Easter after decades of decline.
Factors contributing to this resurgence include spiritual renewal following hardships, illness, or the death of a loved one. Contributing factors also include the appeal of tradition, the return of young people like members of Generation Z (Zoomers – 1997 to 2012), and a greater digital outreach in online content.
Christianity remains the largest religion in the world. Christ commissioned us to go out to all nations and share the good news. (Matthew 28:19). It is reassuring to see the continuation of Christ’s Kingdom in amazing numbers.
It is startling to realize that the amazing number of baptisms occurring worldwide today would dwarf the numbers in Acts 2:41, where we read about three thousand baptized in a single day. The same Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, is among us, inspiring and moving the life of the Church.
Some may ask why bother? “Nothing really matters; anyone can see,” as Freddy Mercury lamented in “Bohemian Rhapsody.” But Jesus came to save the world. To be the light of the world.
As His followers, our mandate is clear: “Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.
Ken Rolheiser is an author of six books and a spiritual column PAUSE FOR REFLECTION since 1998. A lay minister in St Joseph’s Parish and an occasional speaker, Ken has been involved in the Canora Ministerial Association and the Archdiocesan Stewardship Committee (as well as others). For details see www.kenrolheiser.com.
