Michael Wazir
Easter is one of the most joyous occasions for Christians all around the world. It represents the fulfilment of the prophecies of the Old Testament and the revelation of God’s salvific plan for all of humankind. It also reminds us of Jesus’ victory over death, which liberated us from the clutches of sin and the punishment of sin.
Easter Sunday, a sacred day of celebration for Christians, celebrates Jesus Christ’s resurrection three days after his death by crucifixion at Calvary in Romans 30 A.D., as recorded in the Holy Bible. Because Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian religion, it is the most important of all feasts because it represents the conclusion of Lent, a forty-day period during which Christians fast for forty days and practise penitence in preparation for Easter, which begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on Easter Sunday.
In the resurrection story, Jesus Christ dedicated His life to grant forgiveness, to tear down the sinful barriers that people have built between themselves and God, and to change selfish people into loving people, and this story has been told and retold for two thousand years.
The liturgical seasons of Lent and Easter
Easter is immediately preceded by Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, the commemoration of Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples; Good Friday, the day of the Crucifixion; and Holy Saturday, the transition between the Crucifixion and Resurrection. Liturgically, Easter comes after the Great Vigil, which was originally observed sometime between sunset on Easter Saturday and sunrise on Easter Sunday. This is the Sunday before Easter.
Palm Sunday
The story of Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week; it is the first day of Holy Week and celebrates the most important part of Jesus Christ’s life: his arrival in Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Crowds of people, including his disciples, came out of the city to greet him, throwing down palm branches on the road.
Maundy Thursday On Maundy Thursday, Christians remember when Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples, breaking bread and drinking wine.
It is also associated with the Jewish festival holiday of Passover as well as the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, as described in the Old Testament. These links are clearly seen in the Last Supper, which occurred the night before Jesus’ arrest, and the suffering Jesus endured following his arrest.
However, the New Testament describes it as having new significance for Jesus: He identified the bread he shared with his twelve disciples as his “body” and the cup of wine they drank as his blood.” The rituals would come to symbolize the sacrifice he was about to make in death and become the basis for the Christian ritual of Holy Communion, which remains a most important part of Christian religious services.
Jesus is betrayed by Judas. A group of armed men, sent by Jewish authorities, arrives in the garden to arrest Jesus. Jesus’ own disciple Judas Iscariot betrayed him, and only in thirty silver coins did Judas betray Jesus by identifying him with a kiss-the signal he had arranged beforehand. He handed Jesus over to Romans. 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.
Good Friday
Jesus Christ was sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect in the province of Judea, from 26 to 36 A.D. On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion. His body was taken down from the cross and buried in a cave. The tomb was guarded, and an enormous stone was put over the entrance so that no one could steal Jesus’ body.
It is a day of mourning in the church. During special Good Friday services, Christians remember Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross and what this means for their faith.
Consider a Saturday night Easter Vigil.
Many Christian denominations begin observing Easter on Saturday night with an Easter vigil. The vigil typically begins in darkness and involves lighting a large Paschal candle. The Easter vigil concludes with Holy Communion, often referred to as the Eucharist. The idea behind the service is for faithful Christians to wait and watch, hopeful and confident that Christ will return at midnight. The Easter, or Paschal, candle is lit during this service. When a candle is lit, the priest says, Christ is risen!” And the congregation responds, ‘He is risen indeed! Hallelujah
The service traditionally begins outside the church, where the minister and some worshippers gather around a fire. The lit candle is now a symbol of Christ rising as the light of the world and coming into the midst of the people. After being lit outside, the candle is carried into the church, where most of the worshippers are waiting in darkness, which symbolizes the darkness of Christ’s tomb. The Holy Church service includes readings from the Old Testament and the New Testament. When the story of the resurrection is read, lights are turned on and the church bell is rung.
Easter Sunday
The most important day of human history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, took place after three days. The book of Matthew, chapter 28:1-6, says now, after the Sabbath, towards the dawn of the first week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb, and behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow. And for fear of him, the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen. Hallelujah
The story of Jesus Christ has been told and retold for the past two thousand years, like new morning the sun rise and as its light give us the new energy and make us fresh, the story of Jesus Christ fills our hearts and minds with everlasting joy and hope. It’s also reminded about the suffering he underwent for humanity, the prize he paid for it. The event is described in the book of Luke in the New Testament of the Holy Bible.
In varying ways, all four of the gospels in the New Testament (Mathew, 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.
We learn to remain undeterred because our Lord Jesus Christ has come out victorious over death. He rose as he said, Hallelujah.
It is seen as a special day for spending time with family and friends and enjoying delicious food. The most traditional dish is roast lamb, which is often followed by a simmer cake (fruit cake) and lots of chocolate eggs. Hot cross buns, which are spiced buns with a sugary cross on top, are popular for Easter. Easter traditions vary from country to country and can differ even within regions of the same country.
Celebrate a traditional Easter Sunday at a church service.
The traditions of church services differ based on the denomination and style of worship. Most Easter Sunday services adhere to the church’s traditional order of worship but include special hymns and music, as well as the ringing of church bells. Several churches use Easter flowers or unique liturgical banners to adorn their worship venues. Some churches observe the sacrament of Holy Communion, while others observe baptism, which is a sign of new life in Christ.
In celebration, priests dress in their finest, brightest robes. If a church has a replica of a tomb in it on Good Friday, it will be empty with the stone rolled away, just as it was on Easter Day one.
In Italy, the Pope, the high priest of the Christian community, holds a very large mass or communion service in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City. Where Christians from all over the world come to celebrate this event.
This day serves as a reminder that death is only the beginning, as Jesus Christ revealed to His Apostles, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (“Because I live, you will also live.”) (John 14:19) What a wonderful hope we have in the Lord!
Jesus Christ is alive and well. Amen. He has risen.
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