WHAT - EASTER IS DYING?

 

She was alone shopping in the same supermarket isle. I felt inclined to start a conversation and asked if I could be the first to wish her Happy Easter. She seemed both shocked and delighted. She beamed with her expression of “Thank You and Amen”! Although strange in America, she talked about how Easter is celebrated in her homeland, South Africa. For about five minutes my wife and I chatted with her, reflecting on Easter.

We concur with this South African woman, Easter is not a big deal in our secular world. Last month, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden announced that the 2024 White House Easter Egg Roll would take place on the South Lawn on Easter Monday. Some 30,000 persons are expected to participate in what has become one of the oldest traditions in White House history.

This year, the White House practice of using eggs to roll is being challenged. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is calling on First Lady Biden to ditch the eggs this Easter. They want her to replace eggs with potatoes. PETA believes that eggs come from chickens who are “sensitive, feeling beings who deserve respect”. “Chickens,” they contend, “come from complex social hierarchies and can feel pain and fear, just as humans do.”

I am sickened with this crap. The most important event in the Christian Calendar has become an occasion to remember Bunny, Eggs and now Potatoes. Enough is enough! Easter is about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter is a term used intending to remind us of a series of events. Because of its importance to the Gospel writers, they devoted more than 30% of their writings to Easter related events.

The New Testament church remembered the Easter story in believers’ baptism and the ordinance of communion. Even the first day of the week was celebrated as the Lord’s Day, in keeping with the day Jesus arose from the dead. Many of us raised in less secular societies have fond memories of Easter celebrations. Like secularists, non-Christian religions ignore and overlook the significance of Easter.

In Judaism, the cross, symbolic of Easter, holds no religious significance and is not considered a sacred symbol. Easter celebrations may evoke historical associations with the crucifixion of Jesus, which is viewed as a tragedy, rather than a salvific event. Some would contend that the event had political and social implications in ancient Judea.

In Islam, although Jesus (known as Isa in Arabic) is regarded as a revered prophet, they reject the historicity of the crucifixion. Instead, Islam teaches that Jesus was not crucified, but ascended to God before his arrest and trial. Some interpretations suggest that someone else was crucified in his place. Other Islamic scholars even view the entire crucifixion event as a deception.

Many Muslim scholars cite the Gospel of Barnabas to support the Qur’anic teaching that Jesus did not die as told in the New Testament. Ironically, those who cite this sixteenth-century source, think they are quoting from the Letter of Barnabas, written in the first half of the second century. Whereas the Letter of Barnabas affirmed the death of Jesus and was considered to be among the most important post-New Testament writings, the same cannot be said of the Gospel of Barnabas.

 

Instead, the Gospel of Barnabas contends that Judas Iscariot was substituted for Jesus (Section 217). This view has been adopted by many Muslims, since so many of them believe that someone else was substituted on the cross for Jesus. According to one scholar, “scholarly research has proved absolutely that this ‘gospel’ is a fake.”

Other religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism accept the historical crucifixion of Jesus but reject the religious significance and do not recognize the cross as a sacred symbol. Some Hindus may view Jesus as a spiritual teacher or avatar (incarnation) of a divine principle. HIS death is understood within the broader context of divine incarnations and the cycle of birth and rebirth.

In essence, Easter is not viewed with reverence or respect by non-Christian faiths and secularists. Rather, it is viewed with indifference, scepticism or even hostility. In some contexts, the cross, symbolic of Easter, may be interpreted in cultural or artistic terms rather than religious ones. For instance, the cross may be seen as a fashion statement or a design element. The message of Easter has become a cultural practice.

Folklorists believe that after a long, cold northern winter in Europe, it seemed natural for people to celebrate themes of resurrection and rebirth. The flowers are blooming, birds are laying eggs and baby bunnies are hopping about. As new life emerges in Spring, the Easter bunny provides a longstanding cultural symbol to remind us of the cycles and stages of our own lives. In the United States, Easter is one of the largest retail buying holidays. There is a sense of spring freshness, and customers want the latest looks.

How sad, whereas for Christians, Easter is a celebration of the resurrected life of Jesus Christ, now it represents the resurrection of Spring. Could we recapture the meaning of Easter? Let’s begin with a personal commitment to reread the events in the Gospels. What about reviewing The Passion of the Christ, now available on YouTube? For the first time I just viewed the beautiful story of the girl Rebecca finding Jesus in He Knows My Name, also available on YouTube. Be determined to make a difference this Easter!