I have to admit, I have never been into a huge celebration of Easter. I'm a total Christmas gal. I decorate and celebrate from the moment after Thanksgiving dishes are done until the last needle falls off the Christmas tree. Lent and Easter were always paling in comparison to the massive celebration of Christmas and they just seemed like they were a lot of work, giving things up and having to recognize sins and all.
In my many years of youth groups and church camps and churches, I remember somebody once saying that Easter should be the MOST important holiday of them all. In truth, that really disturbed me because it was not my favorite, it really wasn't even in my top 3! Don't get me wrong, I realize the massive importance of the day and how it plays into Christianity. I know the crux of everything we believe is based on a risen Savior, but I guess I like my holidays to be warm and fuzzy, candelit, and Bing Crosby.
Easter is a joyous celebration, new life, resurrection, a second chance, but getting to Easter is hard. We throw our Savior to the wolves, but even more likely, when I put myself into the Passion story, I am in the pack of wolves. We talk about the hardship Christ endured and the upside-down kingdom created by this man, but in present reality, I don't see a lot of this happening in my life or in other Christians. Our country's current take on the "War of Religion" or "Religious Freedom" or religious anything is so divisive and filled with hate, it makes me wonder why Jesus would go through all of the suffering at all? Why did he give his life for people who know the whole story and ignore so much of it?
I get overwhelmed by the trudge to Calvary and the massive amounts of hate and evil still present in the world and I lose sight of the empty tomb. I forget that Jesus says, "Forgive them, Father. For they do not know what they do!" I want resurrection for everyone NOW, love for everyone NOW, a new heaven and new earth, NOW! But God knows that we all have to find our own resurrection in our life, and sometimes we have to find resurrection daily. The last year has taught me that a journey, no matter how straight it feels, can veer off course in a moment. People don't forgive easily and don't care about redemption sometimes. We are great at holding grudges and not too great at giving another grace. This past year has taught me that Easter is important. And it's not because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. It's important because during the absolute worst times, there is hope. There is always a chance for new life to emerge from the tombs of our souls. There is always a Savior who has seen this world against him, and there is victory over all of that.
Easter promises more hope than any other holiday on the record because it can take a wretch and give them grace. I cannot say I do that most of the time! I am challenged by Easter to be a better person, to recognize myself as a crowd follower and as a scared disciple. Easter gives me hope that despite all of that, Jesus still said, "I love you so much that I have to die for you. I love you too much to not give you hope that things can change for the better and that I will never abandon you in this journey!"
