Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed!

Celebrating the Resurrection of the Lord

The Season of Easter is a movable feast.  The celebration occurs on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Spring equinox (one of the two times a year when the day and night are equally as long). This usually occurs on March 21, which means the date of Easter can range between March 22 and April 25 depending on the lunar cycle.

In the Christian Church year, Easter is far more than a single day of observance. Similar to the Christmas season, the Season of Easter is actually a seven-week period of the Church year called Eastertide. This fifty day period, called Pentecost in some traditions, begins at sundown the evening before Easter Sunday (the Easter Vigil) and lasts for six more weeks until Pentecost Sunday. This year’s Eastertide begins April 8, ending on May 27.

Eastertide is a glorious celebration of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.   Christians believe, according to Scripture, that Jesus was raised from the dead three days after his death on the cross.  As part of Eastertide, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ is commemorated on Good Friday, always the Friday just before Easter.  Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus gifting for all who believe in Him eternal life in Christ Jesus. 

The Season of Easter is the high point of the Christian Church year.  Traditionally, worshippers participate in an extended feast wherein the paschal candle is lit at every service as a sign of the risen Christ.  Scripture readings highlight every Christian’s connection to the death and resurrection of Jesus.  The scripture readings proclaim the power of the resurrection that gives strength in suffering, unity in diversity, consolation in sorrow, perseverance in adversity and faith in times of doubt.  

Believer’s lives are transformed by the Easter good news and receive the gift of new life.  On this, the holiest day of the year and for the entire Season of Easter, many Christian's greet each other with the words, “Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

So I urge Believer’s to go out and share the life-changing good news of the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.   However, sharing our faith may involve more listening and learning than we might realize.  Get to know your local and global neighbors.  Bring a friend or coworker to your worship service and fine-tune your ministry of hospitality.  Share an Easter prayer like the one that follows with your family and friends. 

But there is more to spreading the good news.  Allow for the seven weeks between Easter and Pentecost Sunday to be a time of continued celebration that Christ is risen.  Sing Easter hymns and songs on the Sundays following Easter. Display the liturgical colors associated with Easter, white and gold signifying light, victory and eternal life.

Let the prayers of Easter draw you into the joy.  Jesus is with us.  Jesus is alive today and when truly believed, that truth changes you forever.  The resurrection of Jesus means we have no reason to fear.  Jesus has defeated death.

An Easter Prayer (Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer)

O God, who for our redemption gave your only begotten Son to death on the Cross, and by his glorious resurrection has delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant that we who celebrate with joy the day of our Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit. Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection, empowered and transformed by your grace in and among us.

O Lord, so stir up in your Church, indeed in each of us, that Spirit of adoption and reconciliation that is made possible by your grace revealed in Jesus the Christ, that we being renewed in both body and mind, may worship and serve you in sincerity and truth. We pray this in the name of the same Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen.