Easter is a festival of the Catholic/Christian community and is celebrated with great joy all over the world, as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Christians believe that on Easter Sunday Jesus Christ rose from the grave in which He was buried and entered into heaven along with the good thief who repented for his sins. There are many customs and traditions associated with Easter. On Easter Sunday, people exchange Easter eggs. Easter eggs are sweetened eggs made out of chocolate or cashewnuts.
Easter is celebrated in various ways in different parts of the world. It is celebrated either in March or April. This year, Easter falls on April 20. Easter is a time to reiterate God’s promise to us — that we have a relationship of friendship and love with Him. As we celebrate this joyous occasion, let us pledge to experience the love of Jesus that He poured out for the entire world, and to partake of it and share it with the purpose of standing victorious with the risen Lord.
After Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, His body was taken down and buried in a cave tomb. The tomb was guarded by Roman soldiers and a very big stone which no one could lift, was put over the entrance so that no one could steal the body. On the following Sunday, which is called ‘Easter Sunday’, Mary Magdalene, followed later by some of Jesus’ disciples, visited the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away, and that the body of Jesus had gone missing.
Jesus himself was seen that day by Mary Magdalene and the other disciples and for forty days continuously by many people. His followers realised that God had raised Him up from the dead. Christians call this the Resurrection. On ‘Maundy Thursday’ (the Thursday before ‘Good Friday’), Jesus ate His last meal with His disciples. At this meal, Jesus told His disciples that they should love and serve one another. He demonstrated this by washing the feet of all His twelve disciples. On ‘Good Friday’ Christians remember Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross.
Take any festival and you will find that it has its roots that can be traced back to religious history. Hence, it is no surprise that the many festivals that we celebrate across the world have been spawned by a spate of significant events in antiquity. These important events etched an indelible impression on the collective minds of the people who felt the need to commemorate it, lest the posterity overlooked its importance. Thus, a slew of celebrations came into existence. The history of Easter is no different. It is one of the oldest and the holiest of festivals for the Christian community. It is a day revered by the people who celebrate it with immense religious ardency. The name ‘Easter’ owes its origin from ‘Eastre’, the Anglo-Saxon goddess who symbolizes hare and egg.
Easter is a time for caring and being with the folks you love.
Easter is a time for sharing blessings sent from above.
Easter is a time for giving to those who have some special need.
Easter is a time for trusting and forgiving, a time for doing a worthwhile deed.
Easter is a time for music and dance in bringing peace and goodwill to all and praising Christ Jesus Our Lord and King.
If you want to give an Easter gift to someone, I recommend the following:
• To your enemy, forgiveness.
• To an opponent, tolerance.
• To a friend, your heart.
• To a customer, good service.
• To the poor, charity.
• To every child, a good example.
• To yourself, respect.
Jubel D’Cruz
