Maxim Monday: Put on the new!

"Put aside your old self" "so that you can put on the new," (Eph. 4:22-24) and accordingly lead a life dead to the world and to self-love, full of gentleness, humiIity of heart, true sincerity, modesty, interior and exterior peace, and of charity toward the neighbor; in a word, (a life) completely modeled on the holiness and the pleasing virtues of Jesus which you should develop in yourself. Thus you can by grace draw many people who will profit by your example and your conversations. Maxims of the Little Institute, #6

This maxim describes the Resurrected Jesus, the Jesus of Easter. Imagine a world in which people live full of gentleness, humility of heart, etc..., Imagine a world where people live a life completely modeled on the life and virtues of Jesus. But isn't this what the message of Easter calls us to?

Consider the women, first witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus. They ran from the empty tomb both overjoyed and terrified. Although there are variations in each gospel account, there is consistency in the fact that they quickly ran back to "the eleven" to announce what they had witnessed.

In the days ahead, as we read and pray with the post-resurrection stories, one thing is certain: their lives -- and ours -- are made new by Jesus' Resurrection.