I'm Catholic and should have been in Mass this morning for Easter Mass. Apparently, it's a pretty big deal with Catholics and I guess just about any Christian Faith. When I was a child, we attended a Church of Christ. Each year, for as young as I can remember, my mom would take me out to buy a new suit for Easter Sunday. My mom and two sisters would get new dresses, and my mom would also get a new hat. We were all dressed to the hilt with our new Easter outfits. I would wear that same suit every Sunday that year until I outgrew it. Normally, about 6 months, but I wouldn't get another suit until close to Easter the following year.
I grew up knowing what Easter was all about from the Biblical sense. I knew it was the day that Jesus arose from the grave and in so doing, gave all of us the hope of being able to do the same and go to Heaven. After church service, which seemed to last for hours, we would go home for Sunday lunch. Normally, the extended family would also be there so there would be other kids for us to play with. After lunch, we would get to hunt easter eggs. Eggs which we had boiled and dyed the previous day. After the egg hunt, we would eat, the boiled eggs. I always loved the yoke better than the white but my cousin liked the white better. It worked well for the two of us. Those were the days.
As I mentioned, I'm now Catholic and Easter is a really big deal to them. So much so, the attendance on Easter is greater than on Christmas or any other special holiday of the year. Easter Mass is a very special and solemn Mass. There is a great deal of emphasis placed on the resurrection of Christ. I have no problem with the remembering of Christ's resurrection, or his crucifixion, or burial, or any part of that whole event. I guess what I struggle with is why this is emphasized so much on Easter and not so much the rest of the year. Each time I go to Mass, we have the sacraments or communion. Each time a special song is chosen for us to sing while waiting to go forward to receive the body and blood of Christ. Each time I focus on the belief that Christ died for me, cleansing me of my sins, and giving me hope of eternal life. Each time, my eyes tear up thinking about what kind of love a person must have to go through that for me. Easter is just another occasion for me to experience what I do every Mass. The difference is the tremendous show that is put on for those attending Easter Mass. I guess I feel like big productions at Easter, Christmas, Mother's day, and Father's day, in some way cheapens what we are all trying so hard to honor, and should be honoring on a daily basis.
I grew up knowing what Easter was all about from the Biblical sense. I knew it was the day that Jesus arose from the grave and in so doing, gave all of us the hope of being able to do the same and go to Heaven. After church service, which seemed to last for hours, we would go home for Sunday lunch. Normally, the extended family would also be there so there would be other kids for us to play with. After lunch, we would get to hunt easter eggs. Eggs which we had boiled and dyed the previous day. After the egg hunt, we would eat, the boiled eggs. I always loved the yoke better than the white but my cousin liked the white better. It worked well for the two of us. Those were the days.
As I mentioned, I'm now Catholic and Easter is a really big deal to them. So much so, the attendance on Easter is greater than on Christmas or any other special holiday of the year. Easter Mass is a very special and solemn Mass. There is a great deal of emphasis placed on the resurrection of Christ. I have no problem with the remembering of Christ's resurrection, or his crucifixion, or burial, or any part of that whole event. I guess what I struggle with is why this is emphasized so much on Easter and not so much the rest of the year. Each time I go to Mass, we have the sacraments or communion. Each time a special song is chosen for us to sing while waiting to go forward to receive the body and blood of Christ. Each time I focus on the belief that Christ died for me, cleansing me of my sins, and giving me hope of eternal life. Each time, my eyes tear up thinking about what kind of love a person must have to go through that for me. Easter is just another occasion for me to experience what I do every Mass. The difference is the tremendous show that is put on for those attending Easter Mass. I guess I feel like big productions at Easter, Christmas, Mother's day, and Father's day, in some way cheapens what we are all trying so hard to honor, and should be honoring on a daily basis.
