Do you have a tangled mess of worries that keeps you up at night and steals your joy? Offer up the things we cannot untangle ourselves.
Surrender at the Altar
Our deacon, in one of his homilies, once invited us to place our hurts, failures, and quiet heartbreaks on the altar during the Offertory—when the bread and wine are brought forward to be lifted to heaven during the consecration—and to ask God, in His mercy and great love for us, to replace them with His peace and joy, so we can go about our lives with hopeful hearts.
Yes, I’ve been doing it ever since!
This belief rooted in faith and trust in the risen Lord, is that perfect invitation to surrender our burdens: the wounds we carry, the temptations we battle, the disappointments we still hide at the coming of Easter.
It’s in that sacred moment at Mass, and Easter itself, that we don’t simply offer gifts of bread and wine, but ourselves, too, and any brokenness as well and weariness that we carry.
Who's with me?
Trading Ashes for Beauty
Do we have tangled mess of things we can’t untangle, but are there in the back of our heads, such as those that keep us up at night, and without fail steal our joy?
This Easter, let's offer them up believing in His abundant mercy. He is always waiting. He is always willing to receive our offerings, after all Easter has been dubbed as “The Great Exchange!”
Indeed! Easter is all that—Christ' death for our salvation!
So, let's prepare to ask Him to take what is wounded in our beings and exchange it for what is whole. For Him to take sorrows of this world and replace it with peace.
For Him to receive humanity's weakness and pour in His courage and strength. For Him to flood our empty hearts with generosity. And for Him to lead us to where we can find solace.
Why?
Because that is exactly what Easter reveals: the God who is ever ready to accept our offering, no matter how messy or insignificant, and transforms it with His love.
A Story of Hearts Unburdened
And, let's not to forget that at the cross, Jesus took on every burden we’ve ever carried—even those we've already forgotten but unconsciously still carry the weight of them. Every shameful thought.
Every broken promise. Every sin. Every wound—so, in His resurrection, He didn’t just rise alone. He brought with Him the promise that all things can be made new.
There's so much to love Easter then, right? This is why we are called to REJOICE! We need to understand that it is the story of hearts unburdened, chains loosed, hope reborn. It’s the assurance that what we place in God’s hands will not be wasted.
Divine, indeed.
So, if we haven't yet pondered deep into what Easter morning is about—yes, it's the rolling of stone, but it rolls back despair, doubt, and death itself. Yes, Jesus finished the battle. He has the last laugh.
He has the final say. He conquered and finish it with victory. Still, God sure isn’t yet finished with the world. Not with you. Not with me.
Living as Easter People
This is why on days when it seems we're at the end of our rope, when hope is wearing thin, when the struggles seem to be winning—that's when the battle is almost won.
If we truly are the believers we profess to be, with hearts occupied by His presence, then surely Easter isn’t just a day on the calendar. It’s Jesus cheering us on to stay the course. Because the reality is, a great exchange is happening every day—countless times a day.
Let’s live like the tomb is empty and the throne is occupied.
So this Easter, we shouldn't hold back. Offer it all—our joy, our sorrow, our confusion, and every longing there is. Lay it at His feet. And, it's okay to approach Him with our questions.
Curiosity is just another way we bring our hearts to Him, and trust Him with the exchange. Come, let us adore Him!
Because the tomb is empty.
Because He is risen—and He still receives what we bring.
And in return, He gives us Himself.
He is risen. And so are we. This is why we call ourselves the Easter people! Amen.
If this touched your heart today—or if you have a 'Great Exchange' story of your own, send me a note—your information is safe with me!
P.S. Wondering how to keep that 'Easter Joy' focus in a world full of digital distractions? Check out my thoughts on "The Divine Algorithm: What You Fish For, You Will Get."
Many Blessings, Emilie
A Note from my Heart
I’m Emilie, a seeker of faith who finds God in the quiet pews and the divine surprises of everyday life. I write these reflections to invite you into a slower, more soulful way of seeing the world.