By Marianne Furtado de Nazareth –
The iconic cross before Easter, stands for immense suffering and death. We walk with Jesus through his pain and suffering through the forty days culminating in the Holy Week. Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday are days we will retracing the blood-soaked steps Jesus endured for our redemption.
Then, after Easter and the Resurrection, the Cross is a symbol of Joy and freedom from pain. Easter is the greatest feast of our faith. We are an Easter people, a people marked by joyfulness. With Easter, we believe, Jesus has risen and has conquered sin and death. His victory is our victory. His death means our redemption. His resurrection means our salvation. And each of us should be filled with joy over this wonderful news.
The celebrant in St. Joseph’s Chapel, on Palm Sunday told us this wonderful story. He said most Keralites can make beautiful crosses out of the palms we get on Palm Sunday, obviously including himself. Once when he was based in Paris a lady there was fascinated seeing him make the crosses. What do we do with them, she asked. He told her very solemnly- “ take yours home and put one in each room and there will be less fighting and bickering between you and your husband.”
So he was surprised when he saw her taking several palms home. Asking her why, she said, “We have so many rooms in our house so I need crosses for every room!”
Humour during the solemnity of Easter? Why not?
Jokes aside, every genuine Christian cannot help but be transformed by the Easter event. All is changed: darkness to light, doubt to faith, selfishness to generosity, despair to hope, sin to grace, and death to eternal life.
Easter should have profound ramifications on our outlook and attitude, our disposition and demeanor. How can a person be both a Christian and frowning, grumpy, pessimistic, sour, disagreeable, or negative? They cannot! These features are like oil and water. They simply do not mix. Easter Christians are just the opposite: smiling, cheerful, optimistic, upbeat, happy, agreeable, and positive.
People can tell rather quickly whether someone is an Easter person or not. We all “give off vibes,” “send out signals.” Easter people radiate genuine positive energy, and in doing so, bear witness to the reality of the resurrection.
While Easter happens on one Sunday of the year, we are called to be Easter people throughout the year: in Lent and Easter, Advent and Christmas, and in ordinary time too. We must understand that for Christians, every day is Easter! Every day is a day to be joyful!
As Christians we are lucky to have a 40-day time frame called Lent, to prepare for Easter and the Resurrection of Christ. According to the New Testament, Jesus was arrested by the Roman authorities, essentially because he claimed to be the “Son of God,” although historians question this motive, with some saying that the Romans may have viewed him as a threat to the empire.
He was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect in the province of Judea from 26 to 36 A.D. Jesus’ death by crucifixion, marked by the Christian holiday Good Friday the Friday before Easter, and subsequent resurrection three days later is said, by the authors of the gospels, to prove that he was the living son of God.
In varying ways, all four of the gospels in the New Testament – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, state that those who believe in Jesus’ death and resurrection are given “the gift of eternal life,” meaning that those of faith will be welcomed into the “Kingdom of Heaven” upon their earthly death.
Most churches, start the Easter Sunday celebrations at Midnight on the eve of Easter. We are requested to bring candles which are used to start the Easter Vigil celebrations. Candles help Christians to remember that Jesus is the light of the world and that when he rose to life on Easter Day he got rid of the darkness of evil.
In St. Joseph’s Chapel, the service starts in darkness. Then, twelve candles are lit and these are taken round the rest of the church lighting the congregations candles. When a candle is lit the priest says, ‘Christ is Risen!’ and the congregation responds, ‘He is Risen Indeed!’.
Churches are filled with flowers on Easter Sunday. These represent new life. Priests wear their best, brightest robes in celebration. Easter Sunday is the end of Lent and also heralds the end of some people’s fasting.
In Rome, the Pope holds a very large Mass or Communion service in St Peter’s Square, in the Vatican City. Thousands of people from all over the world go to it, to celebrate Easter Day.
Dr Marianne Furtado de Nazareth,
Former Asst. Editor, The Deccan Herald, &
Adjunct faculty St. Joseph’s College of Arts and Science, Bangalore.
This is well written simple to understand and absolute facts given for any person who does not know what the Holy Week is all about Excellent
Wonderful Excellent
A perfect reminder of the significance Easter has to every Christian. It reminds you to adopt the optomistic spirit of Easter and spread it around so everyone puts aside their grievances and becomes an ‘Easter person.’
Thank you Grace.
Glad it connected with you.
It was very inspiring