05/01/2026
The other day Cheryl and I stopped for an early lunch at our favorite burger joint and were seated, as it turns out, just a couple of tables away from our next-door neighbor and his wife.
When we realized they were there, we gave them a cheerful wave and “Hello!” and were then distracted by our server who asked if we were ready to order.
We placed our order and as our server went off to where they normally disappear to when you need them, I glanced back over and noticed that our neighbors had finished their meal and were getting up to leave.
“Happy Easter!” I called out.
He laughed and said, “That’s a bit late.”
I was struck deeply by his response (or lack thereof).
As a fellow believer (although, a non-Catholic), Easter should be the core message of all who profess their faith in Jesus Christ.
The witness of the empty tomb.
When the women discovered the empty tomb that Easter morning, they immediately ran to tell the disciples. Peter and John, then went to see for themselves and returned announcing to their fellow disciples, “He is risen.”
Later that evening, two others joined them in the locked Upper Room with news that they had encountered the risen Lord while on the Road to Emmaus. He had made himself known to them in the ‘breaking of the bread.’
When they were told that Jesus had appeared to Peter, they declared their faith, saying, “He is risen, indeed!”
That was what I was expecting to hear from my neighbors that day in the restaurant.
While I understand that not every Christian denomination celebrates the Easter Season for 50 days like we do, I was disappointed by the seeming lack of joy in my neighbor’s response.
Are we not Easter people?
If we truly believe in Jesus’ Resurrection, then shouldn’t we rejoice not just on Easter Sunday but every day?
For as St. Matthew writes in the gospel, “By their fruit you will know them.”
Therefore, we have every reason to be joyful people.
God fulfilled his promise in sending his Son to save us. Jesus, prior to his death, promised eternal life to all who accept him as Lord and Savior. And having risen from the dead, he appeared to his followers multiple times in order to allay their fears before ascending to his Father. Even the promise of the Holy Spirit would be fulfilled on Pentecost.
All these fulfilled promises testify to and give us the assurance by faith that God/Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us with him in heaven.
Jesus promises he will come back for us.
And that’s certainly Good News!
Something worth proclaiming whether from the mountain tops. Or your favorite restaurant.
“Both in (Easter) season and out,” -- 2 Timothy 4:2.
Deacon John DeGano is assigned to St. Catherine of Alexandria Parish in Riverside.