Easter Thoughts for 2015:
This Sunday, April 5, 2015 is Easter Sunday. Christians celebrate the resurrection from the dead of Jesus Christ. It is Easter, and not as many think Christmas, which is the most important feast on the Christian calender. St. Paul tells us in 1Corinthians 15:14, "If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain." The Resurrection is proof of Christ's Divinity!
Easter falls on a different Sunday each year. The Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) set the date of Easter as the Sunday following the pascal full moon, which is the full moon that falls on or after the vernal (spring) equinox. Western Christians use the Gregorian calender, that is currently used throughout the west, to calculate. The Eastern Orhodox continue to use the older, but astronomically inaccurate, Julian calender. This is why Easter is celebrated on different days in the Eastern and Western traditions.
Resurrection Sunday is the festival and holyday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead described in the Bible as occuring 3 days after the crucifixion. It is the culmination of the Passion of Christ, preceded by Lent, a 40 day period of fasting, prayer, and penance. New converts are traditionally brought into the Church at the Easter Vigil service. Eastertide in western Christianity begins Easter Sunday and lasts 7 weeks ending with the coming of the 50th day, Pentecost Sunday. In Orthodoxy the season of Pascha begins on Pascha (Easter) and ends with the coming of the 40th day, the Feast of the Ascension.
Christians believe that through His death Christ destroyed our bondage to sin, and through His resurrection he brought us the promise of new life both in Heaven and on Earth. By His death and resurrection Christ conquers death so we may live forever with Him.
It's ok to buy a new Easter bonnet and march in the Easter parade, if you want. It's great to have a big Easter dinner with family to celebrate. It's fun to give your kids a basket of candy and let them search for colored eggs, be they real or plastic with money in them. Let's just not forget the reason for it all. Be happy and thankful for what the Savior has done for us, and go forward with love in your heart.
Happy Easter!
God love you!
