Some may find it surprising that while Jesus’ day of resurrection -- known as Easter -- is a highpoint of the church calendar year, Easter actually is meant to be lived out and celebrated as an entire season, not a one-day festival. Known as “Eastertide,” this church season is meant to focus our attention on Christ’s resurrection, and lasts 50 days from Easter Sunday until Pentecost, which begins a new church season.
Eastertide also traditionally celebrates the 40 days that Jesus remained here on earth, after he arose from the tomb and before his ascension into heaven alongside God, his father.
So you might be thinking: “Ok, great academic lesson, Pastor D! But what’s your point?”
The point is: If Easter isn’t only a high point in the Christian calendar, a day when we gather en masse at our worship houses to celebrate and then feast with our families afterward, only to the next day immediately move on with more earthly matters, then we’re missing the larger point of the resurrection.
As Jesus followers we are beckoned not only to celebrate Easter Sunday, but rather to live into the Easter season, and all of what that means to life here on earth.
Remember that after his resurrection, Jesus remained to live with us for another 40 days! He did not immediately jettison this earthly kingdom for the land of milk and honey that heaven is known for. No, he lived among his followers; visited with his disciples and encouraged them to go out among the world and continue his teachings.
In other words, yes, it’s vital that Jesus went to the cross, and in doing so shared his salvation with us. And it too is vital that Jesus arose from death, thus conquering all of the sin and evil present in this world so that we too will live in a resurrection like his.
But in the meanwhile, we are Jesus followers who are still very much living in an earthly kingdom that desperately needs us.
Jesus didn’t immediately turn his back on God’s creation, but rather worked to ensure that his disciples knew they needed to carry on the theme of the Lord’s Prayer: “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.”
Eastertide is a season that reminds us that our savior was resurrected into his earthly body, and as such earthly things matter. Yes, it is a glorious thought for us believers to think about that day when each of us will join our lord for eternity and be reunited with all of the saints who came before us. However, before that day, we should not forget that in his stead, Jesus commanded us to be his hands and feet right here on earth, and to carry on the work he began some 2,000 years ago.
And that makes a lot more sense if we celebrate Easter as an entire season versus just one Sunday! Amen.
Devlyn Brooks is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and serves Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He blogs about faith at findingfaithin.com, and can be reached at [email protected].