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March did go out like a lamb, as it was supposed to. We know for sure that spring is here, according to the geese, gophers and crows. Guaranteed that the grass is going to turn green, trees will bud out, soil will be prepared for the 'new' growing season, the sun will be hotter, days get longer, bikes are out and people are shedding winter coats! So much is taken for granted as winters bleakness turns into the spring season of renewal and hope. It is no coincidence that Easter follows close behind. While spring is a time for nature renewal and indoor clean up, Easter is supposed to be a time for renewal of heart/soul/mind. But...is it? The weeks of Lent leading up to Easter are supposed to be a time of personal reflection. Is it? Or has this too been lost in our 'material world'?
It seems that human nature has become complacent with certain celebrations, as 'reasons for the seasons' have been lost along the way. We have all been raised with certain values, traditions and beliefs, which are normally passed to generations below. How often do we take time to stop, reflect and remember those reasons? I recently allowed myself some reflective time about Easter.
I feel double blessed because I got to celebrate Easter of both calendars. Being of Romanian decent and Greek Orthodox faith, we followed what is called the Julian calendar, so the date was different than the regular calendar. This year, for example, Easter falls on April 23, one week later than normal calendar. A lot of our celebrations focused around traditional food, both at church and at home. Certain ones stand out in my mind like, cozonac and colaci{fruit and braided breads}, plachinta{streudel} and coliva {wheat salad}.
Coliva is a wheat salad, where the wheat is cooked until it is swollen, sweetened with a honey type thickening like a tapioca. The wheat is very significant to resurrection and new life as the grain of wheat must die, fall to the ground and regrow. Everyone had a coloured egg to tap to their neighbours egg, while saying, 'Hristos a inviat'(Christ is risen). In response to that was, 'Adevarat a inviat'[indeed he is risen.] It was fun to see who would be left with an uncracked egg. This is simply one example of tradition in one culture. There is something phenomenal about the fact that no matter what our cultural background is, who we are, where we live and what our beliefs are, be that christian or not, Easter can be celebrated anywhere in the world.
The analytic part of me wanted answers as well; who, what, when, where and why's of this holiday, which is a season unto itself. One answer, in particular, that surprised me was that it was of pagan origin. A completely compressed version from the Encarta Encyclopedia says: "Easter, annual festival commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the principal feast of the Christian year." ... "it probably comes from Çastre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility, to whom was dedicated a month corresponding to April. Her festival was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox; traditions associated with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and in colored easter eggs, originally painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring, and used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as gifts."
As Christianity grew and spread, it adopted certain things from the non-Christian world. To the religious, it marks a time of miracles and faith. To the more secular world, it is a time of winter's end, summer's solstice and bright colours of summer. Bunnies, colored eggs, baskets, lilies, candles, chocolate, hot cross buns and baked ham are 'symbols' of the Easter season but actually, there is no connection between them and the resurrection of Christ.
Maybe the origin of Easter and it's symbols are really irrelevant. What does matter is what is in our hearts and souls. Sometimes our hearts are heavy as we carry burdens that weigh us down like stones. Whether they are the size of a pebble or boulder, their weight places great resistance upon our growth. New hope can easily be found if we consider the stone rolled away from Jesus' tomb. It not only allowed Jesus to rise but the disciples to enter.Do you remember the last time you rolled over a rock and there were tiny threads of grass trying to work their way out from under to see the sun. Who are we each keeping out or what gifts are being hidden when we hang onto the weight of our stones? Have we offered to help a neighbour roll away their stone? How many special people have we missed the chance to know while we were buried in stress? I bet we would all be pleasantly surprised at the good uncovered as we start Rolling Away Stones.
"Have a Happy Easter, Celebrate with cheer; Receive the Savior's love, as His spirit draws near; Enjoy this special day, smile on your face, As hearts are rejoicing all over the place; The grave is now empty, the stones rolled away, Miracles are happening, This Happy Easter Day."
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