Easter is a Christian festival and properly begins on Ash Wednesday and has the 40 days of Lent (a time of fasting or giving up something for many) leading up to Holy Week, for Easter is actually a whole week-long festival in many churches across the world.
During Lent the act of alms giving is also very important for many Christians with financial, food and other giving increased for the duration of lent.
In our modern society it must be admitted that the commercialisation of Easter is fully established, and the eggs are in supermarkets from the start of January. Sending of cards is also now a popular event, a little like the Christmas cards which rose to eminence in Victorian society.
Eggs have been used for thousands of years to indicate the hope of new life and hope as the (northern) world gets lighter and warmer. Flowers begin to spring and young animals are born. Probably where the easter bunny comes from.
Records indicate that as early as 200 years after Jesus’ life the early church decorated eggshells red to signify the blood and empty tomb. This may also have “appropriated” earlier festivals and easter also coincides with the Jewish Passover festival. All however relate to the new life experience, and this is what the Christian church wished to use in its festivals, as we believe Jesus gives new life by what was accomplished at the cross.
In the earlier church, eggs were also one of the foods “given up” for lent as a part of the fasting. So the return of eggs to the menu (having allowed the chickens to ‘rest’) was a very important part of the feast that followed the Lenten time.
Easter is an important Christian festival – it’s when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that Christ died on a cross on a day called Good Friday. Was buried for three days. According to the Bible, Jesus was then resurrected and came back to life on Easter Sunday.
This significant event, historically attested to outside the church by many, is still having a great impact on our world 2,000 years later. It is this which gives Christians their hope.
After His resurrection, Christ ate and drank in the company of His disciples. “We, who ate and drank with Him after His resurrection…” In our festivals, and the communion that is involved, we join in this remembrance and look forwards to His kingdom.
The Easter story is the decisive move of God in saving humankind from sin and restoring all things to Himself.
So convinced were the apostles of the reality of Christ’s resurrection, that they almost all met a martyr’s death for the sake of their faith.
Easter is a time for joy, feasting and love to all as we recall the steps God took to allow us all to approach and be reconciled to Him.
May your Easter, however you celebrate it, be one of rest, joy and hope for a brighter future.
Rev. Rob Stewart
Associate Chaplain
Senior lecturer