We spend so much time, energy and stress celebrating Christmas when the major Christian holiday is Easter.
True, at Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus and what a momentous event that was! But we also max out our credit cards, deal with the dynamics of family get-togethers and go to office parties we don’t care about.
We worry about buying the best gifts – “Will she really like this?” and try to figure out how to graciously accept the gifts we don’t want. We spend hours in lines either buying or returning gifts, then add to our landfills when we throw away wrappings, ribbons and boxes.
We dutifully attend Christmas programs and take videos of our kids in their cute Christmas outfits, all the while hoping we can somehow manage to eat the Christmas goodies without gaining weight.
Somewhere during the pre-Thanksgiving through post-Christmas season, we remember the squalid manger, a scared teenaged mother and a bunch of smelly animals. So we sing “Silent Night” and say a quickie prayer of thanks for that baby born under the Bethlehem sky.
But Easter is another matter. Sure, we still get caught up in the dyeing of eggs, the filling of baskets and the baking of the ham.
But for the most part, Easter is less stressful and more of a contemplative holiday. Plus, we only have one week to consider what it’s all about.
One week to remember the horrific destruction of a young man’s body – how flogging and crucifixion induced painful inflammation, tetanus and infection.
One week to think about the disciples who fled in fear, then wonder if we wouldn’t have done the same thing.
One week to observe the sacrament of communion and truly remember Jesus.
One week to read each of the Gospel renditions and compare the lyrical version of John’s story to the logic of Matthew’s.
One week to marvel at the miracle of resurrection and how awesome it must have been to see the risen Lord.
One week to remember how important the women were to Jesus – they stayed with him at the cross, they were the first ones to see the risen Lord, they spread the message as Jesus gave them the task, “Go and tell my disciples.”
Only one week. How will you observe Easter this year?
Maybe this Easter week will represent a 360 in our busy schedules.
Maybe we will realize our need for the Savior and truly understand what Jesus did for us on that old rugged cross.
Maybe this Easter, we will decide to fill our Easter baskets with a gratitude that reaches beyond the spring holiday and flows all the way to next December.
Maybe this year, Easter and Christmas will erupt with personal revivals around the globe. Now that would be a reason to celebrate.
©2016 GateWay of Hope – Hope, Healing and Wholeness for Women