As we journey together during this season of Lent, we eagerly anticipate the resurrection of Jesus. Holy Week fills us with so many different emotions, the excitement of Palm Sunday, the grief of Good Friday, and the overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday! The joyous spirit of Easter Sunday is not felt just by consistent church attenders, but all Christians alike. In churches, Easter Sunday causes attendance to double and sometimes even triple. The bright colors, the triumphant music, and the contagious spirit of joy causes spirits to soar.
The question that happens the next Sunday morning is, “Where did everyone go?” The stark contrast from full pews to one of the lowest attended Sundays all year long can be startling. Why do we have such exuberance about Easter that fades so quickly? I think the answer is that we have come to think of Easter as a holiday, instead of a lifestyle. Holidays are fun and a wonderful distraction from the business of everyday life. If we are not careful, we can merely view Easter as just a holiday. Easter is a celebration of the most significant event that has ever happened in the course of human history. It is the moment of humanity’s redemption from darkness into light!
My hope is that we can be people who do not just celebrate Easter once a year, but are Easter people all year long. That we are people that are marked by the goodness of Jesus and that his life, death, and resurrection cause us to live and love differently each and every single day.