What is Easter?

Far too many people think of Easter as one of the two times you are expected to go to church. For some reason they feel Easter and Christmas are important while the other 50+ times the doors are open are just there for extra credit.

Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ while Easter is what gives Christians the true basis for their faith. Without the suffering on the cross, death and resurrection the Christian church would be just another cult.

Christian churches come in several different "flavors". Some, like the Anglican church, are considered to be "high" churches. Services consist of liturgical recitations, standing, kneeling, communal praying and so forth. Many of these rituals may be shared by the Catholic church but there are differences since the Anglican Church was formed as a protest to the Catholic Church.

"Low" churches share the same underlying beliefs of high churches but don't put as much emphasis on liturgy, ceremony and sacraments.

Without regard to the type of church, high, low or somewhere in between, all churches celebrate Easter and with good reason. The Apostles Creed essentially summarizes the framework of the Christian faith.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary, Suffered under Pontius Pilate, Was crucified, dead, and buried. He descended into hell; The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; The Holy catholic Church, the Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins; The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.

Those who do not share our beliefs may think the terminology and even ideology to be foreign. This 110 word recitation embraces the beginning of the life of Jesus the Christ, the end of his earthly life and the rebirth (resurrection).

Without the resurrection, Jesus was just another prophet that failed to fulfill the scripture. The last days of Christ followed by the resurrection were foretold in numerous passages of Psalms and Isaiah. Jesus had to die, and then rise from the dead on the third day to fulfill the prophecy.

Blessings to all on this holy day.

#Easter #ResurrectionOfJesus #CrucifiedDeadAndBuried