The Beauty of Easter

Easter |ˈiːstə|
noun
the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Christ and held (in the Western Church) between 21 March and 25 April, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.

Looking back on my life, I remember Easter as being such a special, joyous time for my family. For most hispanics, you can’t celebrate this holiday without having multiple colorful cascarones (confetti filled, multi-colored eggs) being cracked over your head.

As the world prepares to celebrate, I wanted to dive deep into what Easter really means. Easter is often referred to as, Resurrection Sunday.  This is the glorious day in which Jesus Christ, after being tortured and hung on a cross for the sins of the world, defeated death and came back to life. The blood that was shed on the cross has the power to heal us from both physical and spiritual affliction. His willingness to obey the Father gave us access to the Kingdom of God.

In the Old Testament, there was a physical veil that separated God from His people. Only chosen priests were allowed to enter into that part of the Temple, and even then, it was very dangerous. You had to be holy and set apart to enter into the presence of God (imagine the weight of walking into that room–just hoping you were good enough that week!). But, when Jesus died, that veil was ripped down the middle, from top to bottom, to symbolize that His sacrifice was substantial enough to bridge the gap between us, forever. His death and resurrection was an open invitation to a kingdom that was once concealed. He gave us direct access to the Father. Now, everyone can experience His love, power and presence–everywhere we go.

Christ’s death was necessary for us to access the Father–but, without the resurrection, that selfless sacrifice would have been meaningless. Thankfully, this story doesn’t end at the cross. Yes, Jesus laid down his life for us–but, overwhelming victory is ours because He had the ability to rise again. That’s what makes Him God. Therefore, our hope does not lie in someone that is dead. Jesus is alive and actively involved in our everyday lives. Now, as Christians, our job is to honor His sacrifice by magnifying His name and making known His faithful promises.

Romans 1:4-5 says, “Jesus Christ, our Lord, was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell everyone, everywhere, what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.”

Our hope lies in Christ–symbolized by an empty tomb that is filled with promises. This vacant tomb represents God’s faithfulness. He said that he would lose his life, but on the third day, he would rise again. Now, he invites us to live in his likeness. This means, that when we die–we also will experience resurrection. As you know, this life is but a vapor. We are here today, and gone tomorrow. But as believers in Christ, we are rest assured knowing that we will all be reunited in Heaven with Him and all of our loved ones again, someday.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25)

Easter is about resurrection. It’s all about new life.  As you celebrate Easter with the ones you love, take a moment to reflect on the empty tomb. Be mindful that everything that Jesus has promised, has been or is being fulfilled. The tomb is empty, Christ has risen, the enemy is defeated and you are loved.

Blessings to you and yours.

XO-
Sabrina