“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

This is the crux of what Catholics believe, and this is the whole point of Easter. Jesus died for us on the cross in order to save us from sin and death. We hear how wonderful this is for our whole lives and especially around Easter time. As we grow up with this belief, it never seems odd or strange. Many can even begin to lose the sense of wonder and pure joy it brings because we get used to hearing it.

I found myself in this position during the middle of Lent. Sure, I was excited for all the special Masses during Holy Week, but was not exactly looking forward to hearing The Passion for what seemed like the billionth time. I was missing the joy of Easter, and I knew that I wanted to change that feeling. I’m sharing my personal experience because I feel like many of my peers view Easter in a similar light. When the mystery and joy have been so beaten into us, sometimes it’s hard to actually feel that.

Due to a school assignment, I found myself coming to an understanding as I read about God’s love. God did not have to love us. He created us in the hopes that we could live in communion with Him, but then Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s direct commands, leading all humankind to live with the stain of sin. Humans pulled further and further away from God, though He kept trying to call them back. Yet, His love never wavered, even when He made the decision to flood the world due to man’s overwhelming sin.

The thing that really stuck out to me is that God chose to love us. He made us, but we severely disappointed Him. Yet He never let go of His hope that we would come back to Him. We are the prodigal son, squandering all the gifts our father has given and only returning when we have nothing left. But does He reject us? Does He admonish us? No. He only welcomes us back with unconditional love.

But why? The answer is this: God’s happiness will be incomplete until all humans have returned to Him; until all the sheep have returned to the shepherd. Since God has chosen to love sinners, His complete happiness will not be reached until we are all out of trouble. Sin distances us from God and leaves us feeling empty. How can God be fully happy when all of us are so broken? It is just as any relationship based on love. How can one person be truly happy when they see their friend, partner, or child, in this case, suffering?

It is in this that we find the joy of Easter. In understanding that God’s happiness is essentially dependent on our being saved from sin, he gives the greatest gift possible, Jesus, His son. God knew all the torture and pain that He would suffer and still his great, immeasurable love for us wins. Love is the reason for our salvation and it is in that, that we rejoice.