“On the eighth day of Easter, my true love gave to me…”  It doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?  You see, just as Christmas isn’t simply a day-long celebration but is a season to be celebrated, likewise, Easter is a season to be celebrated.  The miracle of Easter is too big to only receive our attention for a day.  It needs a prolonged season.  The resurrection deserves it!  Many of us strain to “live into” Lent for the full 40 days.  Why is it that we don’t press ourselves to experience the joy and celebration of Easter for the full 50 days?

A close friend once suggested that I might have a “celebration deficiency.”  She had witnessed my measured and reserved personality at parties.  She had seen how I had a bias toward things that are serious and devout.  She suggested to me that celebration was as much of a spiritual practice as some of the other disciplines that I held dear.  She was right.

Let’s try to embrace the season of Easter with joy and celebration!  For many of us, Easter day was marked by food and fun and fancy duds and gatherings with loved ones.  Let’s carry some of that celebration through the next 5 weeks.

One way to do that is with food.  Treat yourself to an extra helping or a special indulgence.  Make plans to share a meal with someone that you love and haven’t eaten with during covid-times.  The celebration of Jesus’ resurrection deserves a feast.  As you feast, remember Christ’s love and presence that are yours because of his resurrection.  Other ideas could include cutting fresh flowers for indoors or cultivating your plants and greening yard as a reminder of life that flows from God.

Let’s make Easter a prolonged celebration this year!

Peace,
Dean.