Happy Easter, friends! The tomb is empty, the stone is rolled away, and we proclaim with joy, “Alleluia, alleluia!” Christ is risen — truly risen! After walking through the solemn days of the Triduum, through the Upper Room, Calvary, and the silence of the tomb, we’ve arrived at the great feast of our salvation. It’s time to rejoice — and yes, even to laugh.
That’s right, there’s a centuries-old tradition, “”Risus Paschalis,” the “Easter laugh,” where priests would include a joke or something humorous in their Easter homily. The reason? Because Satan has been defeated, and it is right to laugh in the face of his defeat.
One of my favorite stories from the Dominican tradition recounts the same impulse to laugh at Satan: when some novices burst into laughter during evening prayer, Blessed Jordan of Saxony, rather than scolding them, simply said, “Let them laugh, for Satan has been defeated.” There’s a holy freedom to our Easter joy.
That joy is everywhere on Easter Sunday: in the bright spring sunlight, the incense still hanging in the chapel, the triumphant Easter hymns, the scent of lilies, the glow of the Paschal candle. For Catholics everywhere, there’s often a kind of happy delirium by the time we reach this day. The intensity of Holy Week gives way to true rest in the peace of the risen Christ.
‘He who was dead now lives!’
One of the most moving parts of the Easter liturgy is the renewal of our baptismal promises. As holy water is sprinkled over us, we’re reminded that the Resurrection isn’t just a historical event — it’s personal. The grace of the empty tomb reaches each of us. When we boldly proclaim, “I believe,” we are renewed in the life that Christ won for us.
And yes, the music! After 40 days of Lenten sobriety, the hymns of Easter are a balm to the soul. The “Victimae paschali laudes,” the triumphant Gloria, the alleluias bursting forth — they’re all part of the Church’s cry of victory. “He who was dead now lives!” As St. Paul tells us, without the resurrection, our faith is in vain — but today we proclaim with boldness: Christ is risen.
So, laugh. Sing. Feast. Enjoy the chocolate from your Easter basket. Christ has conquered death. That’s something worth celebrating!
