By Mary Ellen Barrett

“For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” ~ Colossians 3:3

Easter has a way of lifting our eyes.

After the long quiet of Lent, the Church suddenly bursts into light. The alleluias return, the candles blaze, and we hear the astonishing news once again: Christ is risen.

Seek what is above

And yet most of us will celebrate Easter in the midst of very ordinary circumstances. There will be meals to prepare, family to gather, dishes to wash, perhaps children running through the house in their Easter clothes getting chocolate on them before grandma has seen them. The great mystery of the Resurrection meets us right in the middle of our daily lives.

Into that ordinary world comes St. Paul’s reminder: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above” (Colossians 3:1).

It is tempting to think that seeking “what is above” means somehow escaping the ordinary rhythms of life. If only we had more quiet time, more time to pray, fewer interruptions. But Easter reminds us that the risen Christ did not remain distant from the world. He stepped back into it — walking with friends on dusty roads, sharing meals, calling His disciples by name.

Our lives, St. Paul says, are now bound up with His: “You have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

That word, being “hid,” speaks deeply to the lives of many women.

The hidden life is a glorious life

So much of what we do is unseen. The quiet care of a household. The encouragement offered when someone is discouraged. The patience that is summoned again and again in the middle of long days. The prayers whispered for our children, our husbands, and our friends. These things rarely attract attention, and yet they shape the entire atmosphere of a home.

In a way, they mirror the hidden life St. Paul describes.

Through Baptism, we were joined to Christ’s death and resurrection. Something profound has already happened within us. Our lives are no longer defined only by what is visible, the chores completed, the schedules kept, the endless small tasks that fill our days. Our true life is now hidden with Christ.

Easter reminds us that hidden things are not lost things.

Think of what is above

A seed disappears into the soil before it grows. The dawn begins in darkness before the sun appears. And the risen life of Christ often unfolds quietly in the middle of very ordinary days.

To “think of what is above” does not mean we ignore our earthly responsibilities. Rather, it means remembering where our true life comes from. Every small act of love, every moment of patience, every quiet sacrifice becomes part of the new life Christ has planted within us.

And St. Paul gives us a promise that stretches our imagination: “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:4).

Glory may feel very far removed from the small, hidden tasks that fill our days. But Easter tells us that God delights in bringing glory out of what seems ordinary. The empty tomb itself began in silence and darkness.

So, this Easter morning, as the alleluias ring and the Church celebrates the risen Lord, remember this: your life, even in its quiet, unseen moments, is already joined to His.

And one day, what has been hidden will shine.

Prayer:

Risen Lord, help me remember that my life is hidden with You, even in the quiet and ordinary moments of my day. Lift my heart toward what is above, and fill my work, my home, and my relationships with the light of Your resurrection.

Call to Action:

Today, pause for a moment and lift your thoughts to Christ, remembering that your life is rooted in Him. Let one small act of patience, kindness, or gratitude become a quiet celebration of Easter in your daily life.

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