My family usually celebrates Easter, a meaningful ritual for Roman Catholics. This religious tradition marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ following his death. It is connected to Lent, which is a forty-day period of prayer, penance, and fasting symbolizing the culmination of Jesus' suffering. The celebration takes place on Easter Sunday, also called Resurrection Sunday or Pascha. Its purpose is to honor the incredible resurrection of Jesus three days after his crucifixion.
The journey towards Easter begins on Ash Wednesday and continues through lent. It progresses from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Vigil, and finally Easter Sunday. The Easter season lasts for seven weeks and concludes on the Pentecost. In this expository essay, we will examine Easter Sunday, which is a special ritual celebrated by Christians. Ash Wednesday marks the s
...tart of the forty days of Lent, during which a mass is held and the priest applies ashes to the heads of the congregation.
The cross marks on our foreheads represent both God's creation of us from dust and our remorse for straying from Him. Lent, lasting approximately forty days, involves fasting six days a week (Monday to Saturday) and embodies our desire to repent. Since Lent doesn't correspond to a fixed date on the calendar, its commencement is determined by the Liturgical year.
The period of Lent, which lasts for forty days and nights, is based on biblical events like Jesus' temptation by the devil in the wilderness and Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai (Trainor, 2014). Christians demonstrate their love and devotion during this time by giving up luxuries and celebrations. Those who are young adults to middle-aged are advised to
only have one full meal each day. Additionally, on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays throughout Lent, eating meat from mammals and birds is prohibited. Although not required by the Bible, Christians see abstaining from meat as a voluntary act of avoiding enjoyable things like meat.
During Lent, Christians are encouraged to engage in acts of charity and almsgiving such as volunteering and providing food and clothing for those who are less fortunate. In our community and Catholic churches around the world, the money saved from sacrificing comforts and skipping meals during Lent is given to local charities. Additionally, the Lenten season allows Christians to reflect on their actions and seek forgiveness through prayer. Palm Sunday signifies the conclusion of Lent and the start of Holy Week, a time when Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem before His crucifixion and death is commemorated.
Upon Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, the people warmly welcomed and paid him great respect by throwing palms as he rode on a donkey (McCorkindale, 2006). The priest blesses these palms and Christians participate in a procession to honor this significant day. The following year, the palms may be brought back to the church and transformed into Ash as a preparation for Ash Wednesday. Christians also commemorate Maundy Thursday during this week, recalling the last supper that Jesus shared with his apostles in Jerusalem. This event resembles the Passover feast celebrated by the Israelites in the Old Testament. On this night, Jesus humbly washed his twelve disciples' feet and anointed them into the priesthood, all while predicting Judas' betrayal.
As a family, we typically gather together to attend the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on this significant day.
The Eucharist holds great importance as it symbolizes Jesus breaking the bread to his disciples during the meal. Good Friday, observed worldwide, is a solemn commemoration of Jesus' crucifixion.
A reflection is made on the suffering and pain that Jesus endured for the sake of humankind (Trainor, 2014). Catholics perform a procession of the way of the cross with fourteen stations to commemorate the suffering and crucifixion of Christ. The Easter vigil is the Holy Saturday Night before Easter Sunday. There is usually a mass on a late evening, and the sacrament of initiation including confirmation, baptism as well as Holy Communion is given to the individuals who have completed the process. The Vigil Mass marks the beginning of Easter Sunday from midnight. Depending on the region, other Christians may begin Easter Sunday with a morning mass.
The Christian faith finds the significance of this day in Jesus' death, which liberated humanity from sin and his resurrection, promising a new life on earth and in heaven. In my family, we have a tradition of celebrating Easter Sunday with Easter eggs. We make the day enjoyable by playing various egg-related games and giving eggs to our family members and friends. As part of our pre-Easter preparations, we boil eggs and decorate them with vibrant colors. On Easter Sunday morning, we hide these eggs throughout the house for the children to find and collect. Alternatively, we may participate in an activity called egg roll where we chase after rolling eggs down a hill. Furthermore, we exchange beautifully colored and decorated eggs as gifts to express love for one another.
The Easter egg is a symbol of the rock
tomb that Jesus Christ emerged from, representing a new life after his resurrection (McCorkindale, 2006). Thus, Easter eggs serve as a reminder of our origins and the importance of starting each day anew in Christ. Easter originated from the religious beliefs of Christians and commemorates the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ approximately two millennia ago. The early churches and individuals who followed Jesus began to honor and celebrate this day. Today, Easter continues to evolve and is observed by Roman Catholics, Lutherans, and certain Anglican believers.
My family's Easter celebration has been passed down from my great grandparents, who were devout Catholics. As a result, the following generations were also raised in the Catholic faith. Our Easter observance follows the church's customs, starting with Ash Wednesday and continuing through Lent until Holy Week, which culminates on Easter Sunday. Traditionally, we honor this day by attending church services and then enjoying a day of feasting and joyful activities with our family, such as participating in Easter egg games. Remembering Easter is incredibly important to both my family and myself because it symbolizes our unwavering devotion and faith in the Christian God.
Christianity, particularly Catholicism, holds a special place in our hearts as we deeply admire and fully embrace the teachings and traditions of the church. The Easter feast serves as a time to strengthen our faith and draw nearer to God. It also provides us with an opportunity to gather our loved ones together, promoting love and unity within our community. Moreover, this celebration plays a vital role in strengthening family bonds as we pass on important values and beliefs to the younger generation. Through engaging in
charitable works during Lent, we are able to offer assistance to those who require it and contribute towards fostering harmony within society.
To summarize, Easter is a unique Christian tradition celebrated in our family. It takes place on Easter Sunday after the forty-day Lenten period that commences on Ash Wednesday. During Lent, Christians are encouraged to engage in penance, prayer, fasting, and giving alms. Palm Sunday marks the end of Lent and signifies the beginning of Holy Week leading up to Easter. Maundy Thursday is a remembrance of the last supper, followed by Good Friday which honors the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ on the cross.
The Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday is held late at night as a preparation for Easter Sunday, the day when Jesus miraculously rose from the dead. This occasion holds great importance in the Christian faith as it represents new life. To honor this day, my family and I partake in feasting and enjoyable Easter egg games. This tradition is significant to us as it strengthens our faith and brings us closer together.
References
- McCorkindale, D. (2006). Palm Sunday and Easter Children's Ministry. The Expository Times, 117(6), 253-254.
- Trainor, M. (2014, December). PREPARING TO CELEBRATE THE LITURGY OF THE WORD. In Compass (Vol.
According to the Compass publication (48, No. 4, p. 43), the information is as follows:
