An early name for Christians was the Easter people. Our observance of Easter, the greatest and oldest feast of the Christian Church, was what distinguished us from other folks. Like Christmas, celebrated only since the fourth century, Easter superseded an old pagan festival which involved the exchange of colored eggs. The name Easter is taken from an Anglo-Saxon spring goddess, Eostre. And the date, always in the period March 21-April 25, is governed by the spring full moon, which in turn governs the tides, and they in turn take us back to the primeval creation in Genesis when the seas covered the whole earth. Just a little history.
But now for the good stuff. We are Easter People, people of hope, of love, of life, of a new birth, of new opportunities to see Christ in each other and to be Christ to each other. The disciples, the virgin Mary, and Mary Magdaline surely thought they were alone and defeated on Good Friday, that the cause was lost with the life of him they loved. There was certainly no cause for optimism, but there was hope, and their hope against hope was realized at that first Easter, not so much in the empty tomb, for that is only circumstantial, but in the undeniable historic flesh and blood fact of the Christ who in the fullness of life walked out of that tomb.
Alleluia, Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia. Be the Easter people, live with promise of resurrection with Christ to a new life eternally.
Blessed Easter,
Pastor Michael
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
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