Why Does the Church Insist We Celebrate the Easter for an Octave?

Why Does the Church Insist We Celebrate the Easter for an Octave? The Gospel today is the Road to Emmaus. Jesus appears to two disciples. It is important to understand today’s Gospel to comprehend how the Easter Octave works. Why does Church celebrate and keep this octave in the first place? The reason is exactly what we hear in the Gospel reading. We move forward through the octave to consider all the things that have taken place. The Church reminds us that rather than being busy to get back to ordinary time, we pause on an extended Easter Sunday. Why pause? To consider all that have taken place. Hear more within the Homily on why this is so important! The octave is a point of shared rest and shared contemplation the Church sets aside each year. The disciples move together and share “all of these things”. As they do so, the Lord appears and joins them in this process. There is an intensity of Our Lord’s presence over these days. This is true during the Apostles days and true today for us! Why! Because we (and the disciples) contemplate Our Lord’s presence considering “all of these things”. How we come to Mass during the Octave manners. If we come to Mass as we do on any Sunday during ordinary times, something is missing. Listen again to the conversation, in this light, to the Gospel story the Road to Emmaus. Listen to: Why Does the Church Insist We Celebrate the Easter for an Octave? Listen to this Meditation Media. -------------------------------- Image: On the Road to Emmaus: French Painter: James Tissot: 1886 This artwork currently resides within the Brooklyn Museum. -------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Luke 24: 13-35