The first eight days of the Easter Season -- the Octave of Easter -- is a special time of joy and hope. In the early Church, the newly baptized would be at each liturgy this week, wearing their white garments. We go through our everyday lives this week, conscious of the "white garments" we all wear. We are renewed as priestly people, committed with Jesus to give our lives for others.

The resurrection stories, which we read this week, come from communities that are proclaiming us in death. These are not believers who, in their deep desire, just made up the resurrection. These are people who can hardly believe what they are seeing and experiencing. They, like us now, had trouble recognizing his presence with them.

We let the prayers of the Easter Week draw us into the joy.