For whom is This Easter Celebrated ?   


Rev. T. Devaprasad


 

The resurrection of Christ is the corner-stone of Christian faith. This is not a myth or legend, but a historical fact. The message of Jesus and the act of salvation becomes meaningful in the fact called the Resurrection.

The word Easter originated from the name of an ancient Anglo-Saxon goddess called Eostre. The greatest evidence of the Resurrection is the origin and survival of the Church.

People approach the Resurrection in two ways; (1) as a personal experience and (2) a celebration lacking in experience. Nowadays, the Easter celebrations become a superfluous social celebration lacking personal experience as it gives importance to external exuberance.

The Resurrection in Other Faiths

It would be right to say that there is no equivalent concept in other religions for the Resurrection. The Greek philosophy held that the body is a ‘prison’ of the soul. The soul becomes free from this prison by means of death. After the death, the soul remains eternal. They believed the body would never resurrect.

In Hinduism and the other Indian religions, the soul clothes the body of any living being in each birth. There appears no concept as the resurrection of the body. On the other hand, Judaism lacks a concept where the body and the soul are considered as two beings. Hence, it would be true to say that the belief in the Resurrection has its roots in Judaism. There is the irrefutable fact that many people witnessed the resurrected Christ. Those who sought the body of Christ reached at last to an empty tomb.

The Power of the Resurrection that can be Felt

The crucifixion of Christ frightened the disciples. They fled to different places in fear.   But the reality called the Resurrection gathered them together and made them in to a new community. They professed their faith boldly in the face of threats and pressures. Their testimony was so strong that people began to say “they are the ones who turns the world head down.” Their communion with the resurrected Christ was the reason for this.

 

The Present Day Realities

We should accept the truth that we are far way from the reality when we celebrate Easter today. Is Easter meant only for celebration? The youth-hood is meant for worship, learning and testimony. They now require reviewing the present ways of extravagant celebrations and finding new ideas to express their joy. Who benefits from the noisy outbursts at midnight which disturb the peace of common man? Those ailing people whose sleep is disturbed? Those aged parents? Those new-born babies who innocently sleep at night? In fact, the Easter rallies do not give solace to none of them.
Empty liquor bottles are thrown away from the lorries decorated for Easter procession. Are they a testimony to the resurrected Christ? Alas, the resurrected Christ would be ashamed when the skirmishes in the name of Easter accepted as a normal occurrence of celebrations.  For whom this turbulence is endured? Who will derive peace from the Easter celebrated under police surveillance? It seems they do not have the agenda of attending the Easter Service after the procession. They never like attending the church service, but hurry up taking a place in the lorry proceeding along with the procession. Whom do they want to convince? If they could live with the resurrected Christ, it is the greatest Easter celebration. Living according to the fundamental values; it is the real power of the Resurrection.

Easter: The Celebration of Life


It requires to be the celebration of relations. Celebrations should not be ‘observed’ in the light of fear or hatred. It is the meeting point of relations. It is the union of minds who devote themselves in worship and innocent friendships.

We should remember that Christ resurrected even when it was unexpected either Peter who disowned him or Judas who betrayed him or the soldiers who attacked him or Pilate who judged him or the mob who shouted against him. Whoever we may, wherever our place may be among the above mentioned; let’s join the resurrected Christ and celebrate this Easter. It is the failure of unjust verdict. Fulfilling the social obligations with joy is the testimony of the Resurrection. Unless we have no interest and responsibility in social justice, we will not beget justice from the abode of God. The survival of human kind depends upon recognition based upon mutual trust and respect. There is no life in places where there is no relationship. It is the state of death. Are our families living today in the celebration of life?

 Conclusion

May this Easter be a coming together of individuals, church and families based upon mutual trust and respect. May the power of Resurrection be celebration of  lives who remain ‘lifeless’.