THE SEASONS OF EASTER.

 

Easter, which falls on a Sunday that give it the name ‘Easter Sunday’, is recorded in Christian feasts. On this Sunday, Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his triumph over sin and death. Forty days of Lent marked with prayer, fasting, and almsgivingare all in preparation for this great feast of Easter. Of course, without Easter (Resurrection of Christ), there zould be no Christianity. In the words of St. Paul, if Christ has not been raised from the dead, our faith would have been futile (Cf. 1 Cor 15/17). Easter marks the release of humankind from the bondage of sin that separated us from God, ‘’now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ’’ (Eph 2 :13) ; the promise of new life to all believers : ‘’I have come that they may have life, and have it in full’’(Jn 10 :10) ; the fulfillment of God’s promise of sending a Messiah for his people : ‘’I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming’’(Jn 4 :25), and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, ‘’thy kingdom come’’(Matt 6 :10).

 Early Christians saw Easter as the fulfillment of that promise and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, the Church. As Christians, we prepare ourselves spiritually through prayers and self denials (Lent) to die spiritually with Christ (Good Friday), and to rise again to nez life with him on Easter. Through his death Christ saved mankind from the bondage of sin but, his resurrection gives us the promise of new life, both in this world and the next. Traditionally, converts to Catholism undergo the intense process of study and preparation during Lent and are baptised on Easter Vigil. Their baptism parallels Christs own death and resurrection, as they died to sin and noz rise to new life in Christ. Also at Easter Vigil liturgy, converts from other Christian denominations who are already baptised, are received into full communion with the Church after professing their faith through the Apostles’ Creed.

 In the early Church, the Easter Vigil not only celebrated the baptism of new converts, as dying and rising with Christ, but also the new life that God has brought to every faithful through death and resurrection of Jesus, hence the renewal of baptismal promises by all the faithful. Those baptised change into new nez zhite robes symbolizing their nez life in Christ (a tradition that extends today to newly baptised infants). Although Easter baptism is not practiced among Protestants, Anglicans’ practice of renewal of baptismal vows during the Easter Vigil is becoming prominent. Of course, Easter musical, or cantata, comprising a series of special music and songs has remained the most traditional way of celebrating Easter among Protestants and Evangelical churches. The absence of liturgical rites in these churches makes this musical celebration very understandable. 

So, for Christians, Easter commemorates the resurrection of Christ after three days in the tomb, and new life for all believers. Easter therefore stands at the center of other Christian liturgical worship on which revolves other celebrations and commemorations.  For instance, Easter is not a one-day celebration but something that lasts for 50 days ending with Pentecost Sunday. As it were, many Christian churches including the ones that do not observe other historic seasons of the church, do have Easter as their focal point of worship. Easter is the basis of early church teachings, the Kergyma, that is, that Christ died and rose from the dead. Although early Jewish Christians celebrated the Jewish Passover, remembering Gods’ delivrance of his people from the bondage, after the resurrection of Christ, Christians began to obsereve the first day of the week (Sunday) as the day of Lord. Thus, from 321 AD, Sunday was officially proclaimed the day of Christian worship. 

Easter seasons begins with Easter Vigil qnd its liturgical rites symbolise new birth, new beginnings, salvation renewed and humanity restored to the Lord. It is not just the beginning of a new season of grace but, also a time of joy and thansgiving, Alleluia. The prominence of Easter makes it not just one solemnity but a fifty day celebration, from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday. From the apostolic times, the feasts of Easter and Pentecost gained prominence and central positions in Christian liturgical worship. The new Sacramentary and lectionary now have Sundays following Easter as ‘’of’’ not ‘’after’’ Easter. For instance, we have Second Sunday of Easter instead of, Second Sunday after Easter, since they form part and parcel of the same Solemnity of Jesus triumph over sin and death. And Easter candle is no longer extinguished on Ascension but left till Pentecost Sunday. 

White is the colour for Easter season. We recall that angels annonced the birth of Jesus (Lk 2 :8-15) and His resurrection (Lk 24 :1-8). Angels as we know are represented in white colour, signifying purity. For instance, the New Testament consistently uses zhite colour to describe the robe of angels (Cf. Mk 16 :5 ; Jn 20 : 12 ; Acts 1 :10, and throughout Revelation). This is why zhite colour is used during the season of Christmas and Easter. Thus, in liturgy, white colour represents purity and new life. For this reason, newly baptised are dressed in white, wedding colour is white, feasts of saints (who are not martyrs) is white and some churches use white for funeral Masses, since it is the colour of resurrection. 

Some people have argued that Easter is the greatest of liturgical seasons because it is Easter that formed the basis of our Christianity, and that Easter is the actual fulfillment of Gods’ promise to save his people. Though Christ died to save us, his resurrection (Easter) is what gave meaning to his mission. If Christ had not risen, they said, hardly would anyone preach his gospel; after all, the apostles and other disciples were in hiding when Jesus was arrested and crucified. Furthermore, they maintained that the prominence given to this season right from early days of the Church while making it the focus of all liturgical worship speaks eloquently of Easter as the greatest of Churche’s seasons.    

  Dike Patrickmary Afamefuna.