By Norm McGraw
Not only is the spiritual “hi” we experience Easter week for everyone. God wishes that a profound connection with Him will strengthen every day in our lives. Then we will realize the truth in the words of Psalm 33 (included in Tuesday’s reading): “The earth is full of the goodness of God.”
Tuesday in the Octave of Easter
Acts 2:36-41
John 20:11-18
Tuesday’s readings during Easter week still reflect the spiritual, emotional, and physical fallout from Jesus Christ being crucified, dying, conquering death, and then being resurrected for our sins as well as for all humanity, past, present, and future. Salvation is for everyone, even for those who do not yet believe.
According to established research, nearly 70% of Americans celebrate Easter. More than half of them who celebrate see it as a religious holiday. Even some who view it as a secular holiday attend church. With these facts in mind, I thought it would be interesting to ask three of my close friends who don’t go to church what Easter means to them.
I have asked theological or philosophical questions of two of these individuals in previous reflections. One is an agnostic. Another was raised by a father who was of the Jewish faith and a mother who was Catholic. The third, someone I haven’t interviewed for my reflections before, believes in Buddhism. All three I have known for a long time. All three are familiar with at least some sections of the Bible.
From a secular viewpoint, my agnostic friend sees Easter as an “overlay” of a pagan holiday about the rites of spring that goes all the way back to the times of ancient Persia. Coinciding with the vernal (spring) equinox of planting the harvest, Easter is a time of renewal. Religiously, he feels that Easter presents a spiritual renewal of man. Thus, the holiday is a positive experience for him.
My Buddhist friend remembered Easter as a day of peace and love when he was a Catholic. Although Buddhism doesn’t have a holiday to commemorate the death and resurrection of a deity, it does focus on the “awakening” or “enlightenment” of the self as practiced by Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). Moreover, some followers believe in reincarnation as part of the “rebirth” of the self.
My friend, with a Jewish father and a Catholic mother, found that being raised with parents of different faiths was a mixed blessing. Even though her father was tolerant of her mother’s Catholic faith, my friend didn’t learn much about Christianity. But she did learn about God’s presence in her life from both parents. As she grew up, her viewpoint evolved into viewing Easter as celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He was crucified and was resurrected, which acknowledges to us life after death. If we follow his teachings, after death our souls will ascend to heaven.
Tuesday’s readings reflect some of the friends’ ideas. However, for us, Easter is more than a spiritual renewal, as my agnostic friend views it. It is salvation from our sins. As noted in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Simon Peter said to the Jewish people, “Let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Later, continuing, he says: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Baptism symbolizes purification or regeneration as we are admitted to the Church. We are, in a sense, “reborn,” as my agnostic and Buddhist friends imply, but for us, our rebirth during Easter is different than theirs.
For us, Easter celebrates more than the resurrection of Christ as recounted in Tuesday’s gospel reading from the 20th chapter of John, where Mary Magdalene meets Jesus after he has risen.
Easter also celebrates Jesus’ conquering both sin and death, as my friend with both Jewish and Christian backgrounds commented. The Victimae paschali laudes in Tuesday’s Mass reaffirms this: “Christians, to the Paschal Victim, offer your thankful praises! A lamb the sheep redeems; reconciles sinners to the Father. Death and life contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of life, who died, reigns immortal.”
Not only is the spiritual “hi” we experience Easter week for everyone. God wishes that a profound connection with Him will strengthen every day in our lives. Then we will realize the truth in the words of Psalm 33 (included in Tuesday’s reading): “The earth is full of the goodness of God.”