Easter: One Great Party

Did you know that Easter is more than one day? Did you realize Easter Sunday is just the first day of a fifty-day celebration?

Well, neither did I.

Perhaps you are thinking you have to have fifty days of Easter-egg hunts or endless packages of Peeps in order to keep in the Easter spirit, well, there is good news–none of that has much to do with Easter in the first place so no need to fear a sugar rush or egg only diet.

A long time ago after Jesus rose from the grave…

Historically Easter begins on midnight, Sunday morning. Early Jesus followers, and some current faith traditions, still stay up all night awaiting Resurrection Sunday by celebrating the Easter Vigil. It’s like staying up all night on New Year’s Eve, but with something to look forward to–the Risen Christ, Alleluia! Oh, and our new life free from sin and death, Alleluia!

But the party doesn’t stop there. The early Church knew the life-changing significance of Jesus rising from the grave and by the second century they were celebrating it annually. By the third century the Church celebrated Easter annually, but beyond one day. They celebrated Easter until Pentecost Sunday (May 23 this year) and so it remains in our church calendar to this day.

Keeping with the spirit of celebration.

Since Easter is more than a day, it is more appropriate to view it as a season; Eastertide. This season celebrates the birth of the Church, the Bride of Christ, and how we came to exist. It’s a bit like our birthday or origin story. Easter reminds of how we were made a new creation through the resurrection, walked with Jesus post resurrection, were commissioned at Jesus’ transfiguration and then launched into the world by the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) and given power to fulfill God’s specific purpose; to love each other as Christ loves us, and extend that love to others in service and by sharing the Good News of Easter. Eastertide is our making so that we can go forth making disciples and baptizing them into this amazing new family. It is Christ’s church being established and carrying out the extension of Jesus’ work accomplished by the Cross as he now gives us the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20) Easter is the celebration of our birth and the way for of Heaven to be here on earth. We no longer need to wonder about your purpose in life because Easter makes that clear.

N.T. Wright, an Anglican theologian, once wrote this about Eastertide: 

“We are Easter people! We stand on resurrection ground. Easter is not only our greatest party (much greater by the way than Christmas, whatever you do on Christmas you ought to do ten times as much at Easter); Easter is the only reason we are here at all! 

A celebration without end and a task yet at hand.

Lent took us through a journey of purgation and fasting so that we could experience more of Christ and less of us as we followed him on his journey to the Cross, but Easter draws us back into communal living with exuberance for each other and the world in need. Because of the Easter Resurrection we can now experience the love of God in his new dwelling—us. We are now transformed from mere earth bound creatures separated from God into his spiritual vessels filled by God’s overflowing love so that his love can flow out of us and into a broken world so that Easter can be experienced and celebrated without end. (Reference: Colossians 1: 26-27)

What greater reason for celebration could their be? I encourage you to take hold of your new life in Christ this Easter and celebrate the precious gift for all fifty days remembering who you are in Christ, who Christ is in you, and how Christ wants to be glorified through you among those who are still living in spiritual darkness.

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Meaningful Ways to Celebrate During Eastertide

• Break bread. Celebrate with your community over meals. Practice hospitality by breaking bread together and sharing life together. It is over meals that Jesus got to know his friends and his friends got to know him. Celebrate togetherness and our communal living as the Body of Christ by sharing life together. Our Christian unity is made possible through the Cross and a great reason for rejoicing because it is through the Body loving one another that God’s Kingdom will be known. Consider going on picnics, doing a prayer labyrinth, outings to the zoo or park or movie, volunteering in a local ministry together, prayer walking, hosting a tea party, gathering for morning or evening prayer, bible study…the sky is the limit. Also, if there are Covid restrictions, consider how these things can be online or outside.

• Read C.S. Lewis’ book, The Four Loves. The great theme of Easter-living is becoming indwelled by Love. Perhaps learning more about God, who is Love, will help us live into the spirit of Easter who sacrifices all for Love’s Sake. 

• Practice reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 proclaims  that we have been reconciled to himself so that we can continue this ministry of reconciliation. Eastertide is a season of making amends, making all things new—forgiveness! Are there relationships in your life that need to experience a resurrection? 

• Have an Easter Party (or several). If you really want to mark the event, plan for a festive way to break-fast. Decorate the house, plan a special meal, bake a cake or dessert, throw a party. 

• Celebrate newness of life by creating. Christ came to make all things new, including creation around us. Consider ways to create artistically or plant new life on earth. Start an Easter herb garden or plant a tree. Join a community clean-up project that makes a blight or derelict place fresh and new by tending to creation. Perhaps host or participate in an art lesson or poetry writing. Consider what enlivens your soul as you live into being the image of the living Christ on earth and live into that creative, new energy for God’s glory. 

• Share the Good News. We are Good News people! We have the greatest gift in Christ, we should never hold back. Is there someone in your life who needs to hear or experience the Good News? Perhaps a friend, co-worker, neighbor just needs to know they are loved. Consider how you can share Love with them. Maybe there are missionaries or a local ministry that needs your partnership–join God’s global commission, you are a valuable player in God’s family business.

• Draw near to God. Lent prepared you to abandon lesser loves in your life so that you could make space for your Great Love to enter into your life. Now that Christ lives in you, how would you like to get to know your friend, Jesus, over Easter. What spiritual practices might encourage your surrender to Love and help you continue to be grafted in Christ, to be one with the Father (John 14: 20 & 15). Throughout the Bible Jesus invites people to “Come and See” and “Follow Me.” His greatest passion is you–to know you and be known by you. What kind of friendship would you like with Jesus? Practice Be-ing with your best friend and don’t be afraid of wasting time with your true Love. 

Would you like more ideas on how to celebrate Eastertide this year or do you have an idea of your own that you would like to share. Let me know below in the comments section. Thank you for joining me along the wandering way. Feel free to share this blog with your friends and encourage them to join you in a spiritual journey.