Let us meditate on the Resurrection Day of Jesus through the message that Dr. Nathaniel Fabula shared. You are invited and encouraged to read the whole text as you celebrate the Resurrection Weekend.
Traditionally, people during the Sunday after Good Friday would greet each other “Happy Easter.”
Some years ago, the writer dropped the name Easter and appropriately changed the greetings to “Happy Resurrection.”
In the research made, he found out that the origins of Easter are rooted in European traditions. The name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring and fertility by the Saxons of Northern Europe.
A festival called Eastre was held during the spring equinox by these people to honour her. The goddess Eastre’s earthly symbol was the rabbit, which was also known as a symbol of fertility. Originally, there were some very pagan and sometimes utterly evil practices that went along with the celebration.
In modern times, with the exception this year (because of COVID-19 lockdowns), Easter in many countries is a completely commercialized holiday, with all the focus on Easter eggs and the Easter bunny being remnants of the goddess worship.
It was a pagan practice, such as the spring fertility goddess rituals that the church “absorbed” and attempted to Christianize, that resulted in Easter’s being linked to the vernal equinox and the full moon.
Nowhere in the biblical account of Christ’s resurrection that the name Easter is mentioned.
What is the rationale of connecting a pagan goddess with a very significant event commemorated by the Christian church?
It has been said that the only thing regarding Easter that is similar to resurrection is the fact that it is held on a Sunday.
The birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ means triumph and joy
Customarily, Christmas is considered as the most joyous holiday among Christians and even non-Christians who gain lots of business profits because of the commercialization of the holidays and the reason for being happy is centred on material things.
Gifts, parties, food, decorations and other Christmas paraphernalia and activities evoke in us a happy feeling and numerous times we say, “Merry Christmas” to others and hear the same greetings from others.
The birth of Jesus Christ has actually marked the beginning of his mission which was accomplished in his death.
Of course, there is nothing wrong to joyously celebrate Christmas if correctly placed in the right perspective.
Out of curiosity too, the writer asks, why do people not greet each other “Happy Palm Sunday” when it is also called Triumphal Entry.
Is it not that triumph or victory bring joy?
Neither do I hear people greeting each other “Happy Good Friday” when it is considered good.
Understandably, when it comes to death, generally bereaved people are supposed to feel sadness and comforters also show the same feeling.
But in the case of the death of the Son of God, there is a great reason to be joyful.
When Jesus shouted, “It is finished” it means his mission was successfully accomplished. His mission was to save us, sinners, from eternal condemnation and give us eternal life.
Is it not a logical reason to make us happy?
There seems to be a feeling of awkwardness though on our part because we are not accustomed to saying greetings of joy during Good Friday.
The resurrection proved that Jesus is indeed the Son of God
The resurrection proved that Jesus is indeed the Son of God sent to save sinners like us and that death has no power over him.
Resurrection Sunday is an important holiday in the Christian calendar and the Resurrection story is at the heart of Christianity.
It celebrates the resurrection from the dead of Jesus, on the third day after he was executed. All four Gospels report the miraculous event.
Unlike all other religions, Christianity alone possesses a Founder who transcends death and who promises that His followers will do the same.
All other religions were founded by men and prophets whose end was the grave.
As Christians, we take comfort in the fact that our God became man, died for our sins, and was resurrected on the third day.
The grave could not hold Him. He lives, and He sits today at the right hand of God the Father in heaven.
The importance of Jesus Christ’s resurrection
The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, known as the resurrection chapter of the Bible dealt with Christ’s resurrection and the resurrection of man.
According to the apostle, our preaching Christ and faith in him would be useless and futile if he did not resurrect (vv. 14. 17).
Without the resurrection, our Christian faith would be just hopeful thinking, no better than secular philosophies and fanatical religions.
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive” (v. 22).
We all should joyously declare it with certainty and manifest that belief in our daily life. Belief without concrete manifestation is only lip service which is abominable to the Lord.
Expression of our faith
Let us make the old hymn entitled, “He Lives” composed by Alfred H. Ackley (1887-1960) be an expression of our faith.
I serve a risen Saviour; He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living, whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him He’s always near.
He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
Happy Resurrection Day to all God’s children!
Our Father in heaven, we thank you for giving us your Son, who lived and died so that we might live.
We thank you that in spite of what is happening in the world today, we can still celebrate his resurrection from the dead, giving us comfort that we serve a living Savior and Lord and that he lives within our hearts.
Father, we unceasingly pray to request for help for all your children who are adversely affected in various ways by the coronavirus disease.
Lord, you know all the specific requests of your children related to the predicament of each one.
We offer them with the faith that your answers to our prayers are the best for us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we humbly pray. Amen.