Have you ever considered the roots of our most joyous word? The English word “Easter” is closely tied to the word “East”—the direction from which the sun rises every morning. East is the direction of the dawn, the banishing of the night’s long shadows by the first rays of light.

In Christ’s Resurrection—in His Easter—we are given a new morning. The light and eternal life of Christ now dawns in us also. We no longer walk in the twilight of uncertainty or the darkness of despair. As the prophet Malachi foretold centuries before the empty tomb: “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness shall rise with healing in his wings” (Malachi 4:2).

This “Sun of Righteousness” is not just a metaphor for warmth; it is a promise of restoration. In the ancient world, “wings” were often used to describe the rays of the sun. Malachi’s image tells us that Christ’s light doesn’t just illuminate our path—it heals our souls. This healing has been applied to you in your Baptism, and it is renewed in you every time you gather around His Word and Sacraments.

As we walk through April, let us look to the “Dayspring from on high” (Luke 1:78). In Christ, we daily rise to a living hope. We are ransomed not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of the Lamb. Therefore, we live our lives not in accordance with our own wisdom, but in the brilliant light of the One who has conquered death forever. Alleluia! Christ is Risen!