A Time Called…Easter Sunday
Easter shatters the natural order.
The crucified one lives again.
Reality is redefined through Christ’s death and resurrection.
God has spoken the last word on death – and that word is LIFE!
All creation can live again through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
What is Easter?
Easter is a festival and holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial after his crucifixion by the Romans. Occurring in the spring and following the somber season of Lent, it is day of color and celebration of new life. In Western Christianity the Easter Season begins on Easter Sunday and lasts seven weeks, ending with the coming of the fiftieth day, Pentecost Sunday. Easter customs vary across the Christian world, and may include sunrise services, exclaiming the Paschal greeting (“Christ is Risen.” “He is risen indeed!”), and decorating Easter eggs (symbols of the empty tomb). The Easter lily, a symbol of the resurrection, traditionally decorates the church on this day.
Historical Roots of Easter Sunday
The celebration of the Resurrection is the oldest and greatest feast of the Christian Church. In the early church, the Sunday celebration began with the Saturday all-night watch, the Easter Vigil. People preparing for baptism waited for the first light and were baptized on Sunday. In several traditions, this is still done. Like Christmas, Easter probably superseded an old pagan festival, its name possibly traced to the name of a pagan deity. Unlike Christmas, it is a moveable feast, taking its date from the phases of the moon.
Finding Meaning in the Tradition
The Easter story is about Jesus who is raised from the dead. But that is not all. The resurrected Christ remembers his followers and seeks them out. He wants them to know he is alive. Why? Not to impress them with a trick, but because his dying and rising has to do with them. He seeks us out for the same reason. We all may share in his death and his resurrection. We can all have a new beginning. God has done this for us through Jesus Christ. This is the Good News. We have found a saviour!
(Source: Presbyterian Church of Canada 2007)
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