According to my wife her father’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Family gatherings, time to offer thankfulness to our creator, and good food are likely the main reasons. Being less commercialized than other holidays has to be another reason to favor Thanksgiving over some.
I know my wife likes Thanksgiving. But she really likes Christmas; the music, the lights, the extended time off and of course the celebration of our savior’s birth. I would bet she would say Christmas is her favorite holiday. The kids will tell you that she has left Christmas lights up well after St Patrick’s Day.
There are 27 books in the New Testament section of my Bible. Calling some of them books is a stretch. Take 3rd John at 14 verses it is shorter than this post. Maybe the books of John and Jude ought to be referenced as “Holy blogs” verses “books”. However, did you know that only 8 of the 27 fail to specifically mention the resurrection of Christ? If you include references to eternal life then only four would be left from our list. Every attributed author of the New Testament makes reference to eternal life and or Christ’s resurrection. Must be important!
I cannot imagine in any manner that the authors of the New Testament would discourage our Easter celebration. Nor would they fret about any possible connection with pagan holidays. I think if you ask Peter about Easter Eggs he’d tell you about finding the tomb empty. If you ask Paul about Peter Cotton Tail and hopping down the bunny trail he’d tell you about his experience on a trail to Damascus with a resurrected Lord. Ask John what he’d like for Easter dinner and I bet he’d tell you about eating fish for breakfast with Jesus after he has rose from the tomb. Yeah, he’d likely ask for me to pass the bread and wine but skip the Easter ham.
It is this singular message that is core to my faith, “there is a resurrection”. “There is life after this one” and Christ has made that attainable. This message gets lost in much of what you hear in sermons today. We hear about social ills, scientific disputes, and theological heretics. Easter reminds me of what is important and what is not. Poor health or good, rich or poor, Easter reminds me that whatever state I find myself in this life, good or bad, it is but a temporary condition.
Maybe you have guessed by now my favorite Holiday is Easter! It has the best music…the best message… the best weather …and what it lacks for in lighting it makes up for in chocolate.
My wife says she can cure the lack of lighting.
David
