The Easter Season centers on Jesus Christ's Resurrection. Easter celebrates the central event in the story of our salvation. It is the highest of Christian Church feasts, the Great Sunday. Easter is also the oldest Christian festival. The Easter Season includes the six Sundays of Lent (a 40 day period of preparation, reflection, and expectation), the seven Sundays of Easter and ends on Ascension Sunday. The link between cross and resurrection in Christian faith unifies this season.
The Lenten journey begins on Ash Wednesday, when we begin what might be called a spring cleaning of our souls. The proper mood is one of expectation, like that of Advent, in which Christians should not only feel sorrow, because of our sins and Christ's death - but also joy, because of the triumph of His Resurrection. Lent includes six Sundays. At Lent's end is Holy Week—the Holiest Week of the entire year when we remember Christ's betrayal, suffering, death, and Resurrection.
Holy Week, the last week in Lent, begins on Palm Sunday with Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. It includes Maundy Thursday, the celebration of the Lord's Supper; Good Friday, the anniversary of Jesus sacrificing his life for our sakes, and ends with the Saturday Easter Vigil, when the whole Church keeps watch, while retelling the whole story of who we are as a community of believers and whose we became.
Palm Sunday is a Christian holyday that celebrates Jesus' triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem that was marked by the crowds who were in Jerusalem for Passover, waving palm branches and proclaiming him as the messianic king. Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt, fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9. This was the only day in which Jesus Christ set aside His ministerial role to make a political statement before His covenant people. The people greeted him as though he were an earthly king; they were sure he would end the Roman occupation and Jerusalem would again be a Jewish city. Palm branches (honor, eternal life, the symbol of triumph, and the national emblem of an independent Palestine), olive branches (peace), cloaks, and a sprinkling of spring flowers were laid on His pathway. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!"
Maundy (Holy) Thursday is a Christian holyday that marks the day on which Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) at the Last Supper. As an example of serving others, Jesus washed the apostle's feet. Later Jesus prayed alone in Gethsemane while eleven of His disciples fell asleep. Judas Iscariot, the twelfth of Jesus' disciples, went to the Jewish high priests and betrayed Him for 30 pieces of silver. That night Jesus was identified by Judas and arrested by Roman soldiers and taken away. Some Christians have a ceremonial meal in their home, recalling the Passover Jesus shared with His disciples. Often the Old Testament custom of eating lamb, wine, flat bread (matzoth), and horseradish sets the pattern, especially when it can serve as a teaching aid for children.
Good Friday is a Christian holyday where we recall the high price that Jesus paid to release us from our sins. On this day, the church commemorates Jesus' arrest (since by the Jewish custom of counting days from sundown to sundown it was already Friday), his trial, crucifixion and suffering, death, and burial. It is customary on this day that all pictures, statues, and the cross are covered in mourning black, the chancel and altar coverings are replaced with black, and altar candles are never lit. They are left this way through Saturday, but are always replaced with white linens before sunrise on Sunday.
Easter Vigil Saturday is a Christian holyday set aside for prayer and inner reflection about the events of the Easter Season. Although these activities can be done in the privacy of one's home, they are much more rewarding when done in your church's sanctuary or while kneeling at the altar. This is the one evening during the year that nearly all Christian churches are open for their members to come in and individually commune with God. It is traditionally a day of quiet meditation as Christians contemplate the darkness of a world without a future and without hope apart from God and his grace.
Easter Sunday, the most important Christian holyday of the year, is a day on which we celebrate mankind's free redemption from sin, the greatest gift ever given. Jesus is honored for conquering death for us and offering everyone who believes in Him eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
Ascension Day is a Christian holyday that marks Jesus' bodily ascension to Heaven. Some churches celebrate it 40 days after Easter on Thursday, and others celebrate it on the seventh Sunday after Easter. On that day Jesus told His disciples that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit and that when they do they should spread His Gospel the world over. Jesus is taken up and received by a cloud. Two men clothed in white appear and tell the disciples that Jesus will return in the same manner as he was taken. (Acts 1:3-11).
Christ gave us the greatest of all gifts, salvation from our sins, through his death and resurrection. Christians can celebrate Christ's gift to us on Easter Sunday by sharing a meal and sweet gifts with family and other Christians. It is totally appropriate to give candy as a symbol of God's sweetest gift to us. Such candy preferably should be in plain wrappers or wrappers decorated with Christian symbols and messages.
Consider what symbolism and story line is portrayed on candy, and then consider not buying inappropriately decorated candy. Think about making things like candy, fudge, and cakes with your children. Candy and cake moulds are available in a variety of Christian shapes that could be used instead of a bunny. Cookies can be decorated in any way you like. The sights, sounds, smells and eventual eating of all such treats are very memorable. Children love making good things to eat, and even older boys and girls still enjoy helping out in the kitchen during such activities. While preparing these treats, it is an opportune time to remind your children that the sweet treats you are making represent God's greatest and sweetest gift to us – salvation.
Consider decorating Easter eggs with your children, noting that the eggs represent renewal; both of the spring season, and our rebirth in Christ. Also, seriously consider hollow plastic eggs that you can put non-candy items into directly such as a Christian ring, necklace, bracelet, or a piece of rock candy (a reminder of the stone that covered the entrance to Jesus' tomb). For larger items that would not fit in an egg, identify the gift on a piece of paper. For many people, hollow eggs also symbolize Jesus' empty tomb.
At a family gathering you might tell the Easter story, re-tell family stories, say a special prayer, watch a particular movie, play inspirational and/or seasonal music, or read tracts from your church. Do whatever else that makes Easter special for the whole family and establish patterns that when repeated annually will quickly become your own traditions. As many Christian families begin shifting away from that which is secular and more toward God-centered family traditions, those secular add-ons will begin disappearing as demand decreases.
Items made specifically for the Easter Season which merely replace the Christian symbols with magical animals or any other non-Christian symbols or messages are inappropriate. Since such items can grossly change the meaning of Easter, we encourage you to consider not buying them.
Today the Easter bunny is the most prevalent and misleading symbol associated with Easter. When you search the web with your computer using the key words "Easter bunny", there are over 5 million matches! There are an enormous number of Easter bunny items being promoted which in total can easily overwhelm Easter's true message. The bunny items include toys, games, candy, books, movies, TV programs, cards, e-cards, and computer screen savers and wallpaper. The bunny generates billions of dollars in profits for secular interests, so these companies will always strive to retain it.
However, the bunny (or hare) symbol is older than Christianity. As early as 2000 B.C. the hare symbol was associated with death and rebirth in Mesopotamia and Syria, and later was associated with the Egyptian god Osiris. The ancient Greeks associated the hare with Aphrodite, the goddess of love, and also with Eros, the god of sexual attraction. The Romans associated the hare with the goddess Diana. The hare's great fertility made it a symbol of springtime in much of pre-Christian Europe. In Norse mythology the hare symbolized Freya, the goddess of sexual attraction. It is for all these reasons that the bunny was selected as the symbol for Playboy Magazine.
Jesus Christ's Resurrection coincided with the pagan festival of Eastre (Latin: Oestre), which was celebrated on the vernal equinox. The fertility goddess Eastre was worshipped by Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the rabbit. Although Easter obtained its name from the Eastre celebration, the pagan rabbit symbol was avoided by Christians. In German folklore the hare became connected to Easter by linking it to spring, fertility, and new life. During the 1800's, German immigrants brought the idea of today's Easter bunny that delivers Easter eggs to America. Now that secular interests have usurped so much control of the Easter Bunny and its message, Christians should prayerfully consider avoiding it.
When you encounter stores that indicate that they will not close from 12-3:00 pm on Good Friday or on Easter Sunday, mention to them that as a Christian you consider it improper for you and other Christians to shop during those hours. Politely suggest that their Christian employees would appreciate having those hours off. You could also invite the manager to your church during this time and indicate that their entire family would be very welcome then or anytime.
Easter is a Christian holyday, not a legal holiday. Speak up if you feel that any Easter displays that occur in or on school or municipal grounds during the Easter Season are inappropriate. If you agree and are feeling bold, state that continuing to inter-mix the rabbit symbol of the fertility goddess Eastre into the Christian Easter Season is offensive to you and that it is also inappropriate under the establishment clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Keep in mind that we must trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior, and acknowledge him as Lord of all and Head of the Church Universal. Through Him we believe in One God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In our faith walks we must seek to follow the lead of our Lord Jesus Christ, love our neighbors as ourselves, and work for the reconciliation of the world – secular and Christian. Never try to inflict your beliefs on others, rather showcase them in how you live your life in Christian love and offer to share them freely to those willing to accept.