3 Ways to Keep Easter Joy in Your Life

Laura Range looks to the Letter to the Philippians for inspiration to “rejoice in the Lord” all 50 days of Easter and beyond.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! (Philippians 4:5)

The rest of the world may be putting away their plastic eggs and bunny décor, but we Catholics are still rejoicing and celebrating Easter for almost 5 more weeks (until Pentecost on May 23rd)! Our God defeated death, rose from the grave, and gave each of us the hope of eternal life and heaven forever. Those are truths that change our very lives, not just one day of the year.

St. John Paul II reminds us that year-round "we are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song." Yet how do we make the truths of Easter become part of our identity and hold onto those alleluias through the ups and downs of life? Joy can feel elusive as we settle back into routine and heaven feels far away. The short New Testament letter to the Philippians, written by St. Paul, gives us some insight on three ways to cultivate deep Easter joy in our daily lives.

Remember the Lord is near.

Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. (Philippians 4:5)

So often we live our days forgetting that God is with us. Every hard moment of our days He is with us offering grace and strength to endure or overcome. He sees the hidden victories over sin, He forgives the failures with abundant mercy and tender love. He even smiles when we smile and delights in the good moments with us, too. When we remember His nearness and His fatherly care, it brings a quiet joy to our days knowing we are never alone.

Practical step: Visit a church and pray before the tabernacle -- a powerful reminder that not only is God near us in spirit, but also near to us physically in the Blessed Sacrament.

Pray with a thankful heart.

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. (Philippians 4:6)

Anxiety and worry suck the joy right out of life. We get burdened down by fears of what might happen or discouragement over what has already happened. God wants us to give all of that to Him in prayer-- everything, says the verse. Nothing is too small (or too big!) to release into His loving hands. St. Paul also exhorts us to be thankful. Thankfulness is an antidote to worry. Remembering the good gifts we are given each day-- our family and friends, the beauty of nature, tasty meals-- calms the mind and allows joy to blossom again. It reminds us that God has provided for us in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Practical step: Try keeping a "joy journal" and write down one thing you are grateful for each day.

Focus on the good.

Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:7-8)

Our minds are a battleground when it comes to joy. The thoughts we allow to enter will shape our emotions and affect our ability to hold onto the joy of Easter. Ask God to help you guard your mind against negative thoughts that stir up feelings of despair or discouragement. Actively choose to focus on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, and lovely. The more we practice this habit, the easier it becomes as we train the mind to look for the positive and guard against the negative. This doesn’t mean we ignore the difficult things but rather that we place them in God’s hands with trust and surrender (pray with a thankful heart!), and that we fill our minds with truths that bring hope and peace and deep joy.

Practical step: Buy a bouquet of spring flowers for yourself and place them in an area as a tangible reminder to focus on whatever is lovely and gracious.

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The short New Testament letter to the Philippians, written by St. Paul, gives us some insight on three ways to cultivate deep Easter joy in our daily lives. #catholicmom

Copyright 2021 Laura Range
Images: Canva Pro; Pixabay (2016)