In Search of Authentic Easter

On Easter afternoon, restaurants are brimmed with people. Pews are also full in many churches on Easter, even though they are usually almost empty.  Yes, Easter is an occasion of joy. Both churches and restaurants are packed to mark the festivity. At least, that is how the world presents itself on Easter. However, what is the real “Easter”, described in the sacred scriptures? In fact, on the original “Easter” day, there was no party…no Easter bunny, no egg hunting….  The people in Jerusalem were not eating and drinking in eateries merrily on that Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection, almost 2,000 years ago. In fact, they did not even know that he was risen and did not seem to care.  On the other hand, the disciples first experienced “Easter” with fear and skepticism. The mood of the original “Easter” was far from joy, and the disciples fear and skepticism were pretty much due to their ignorance.

It is easy for us to be duped by what the world tells about Easter. Even some preachers, especially who tend to avoid preaching on the meaning of the Crucifixion, can give us a misguiding notion of Easter. We must focus on what the sacred scriptures tell what Easter is all about.

As the scriptures narratives describe, the disciples, including Mary Magdalene, began their “Easter” experience with fear and skepticism because of their lack of understanding of the Old Testament prophecies, especially on the suffering Messiah in Isaiah 53 and the teaching of Jesus, such as in John 2:19; Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:18-19.

It is not to say that we must tremble with fear to experience Easter. It is not to say that we must wonder if the Resurrection was true.  Rather, it is important that we put ourselves in the positions of the disciples and reflect as if we were them, facing the empty tomb. In this reflection, we ask ourselves, if we are more like Mary Magdalene or Peter or John. The scriptures indicate that it was Mary Magdalene who first realized that the tomb of Jesus was empty, and it how the original Easter started.

No, Mary Magdalene did not call the rest of the disciples to party with Easter bunnies in front of the empty tomb.

There is a reason for the Eastertide to span for 50 days until Pentecost. It is because it takes a while for the real Easter to really sink in our hearts and kick into our actions as real disciples of the risen Lord.  To be faithful to the scriptures, the way we appreciate Easter and experience Easter joy is rather gradual. It is a 50-day process.  In fact, Pentecost is our consummation of Easter. Through the baptism of the fire of the Holy Spirit, all the meaning of Easter sinking and settling in our hearts during the 50 days of Eastertide, will get fired up and spring into our apostolic actions.  For this real Easter experience, we do not have to have Easter brunch or Easter party.

Yes, after these Lenten abstinence days from singing gloria and alleluia during Mass, we can now sing gloria and alleluia joyfully because the Lord has risen.  At the same time, we must remember that the original “Easter” did not start with Mary Magdalene singing gloria and alleluia in front of the empty tomb. As we begin Eastertide, let us be more mindful of the disciples’ struggles to come to terms with the Resurrection of the Lord, while singing gloria and alleluia. 

Our Easter experience is a gradual toward Pentecost. To some, doubt may linger. Everyone experiences Easter differently, depending on their spiritual maturity in their faith and their life circumstances.

Let us not forget that many people are, in fact, struggling in experiencing “Easter” on their personal levels, because of their ongoing sufferings and struggles. No, Easter Sunday does not necessarily wipe away challenges in their lives. They wake up on Easter morning with pain. In fact, people are dying even on Easter Sunday.  We must reflect how they will experience “Easter” amidst increasing pain and sudden grief.

When I spent one Easter Sunday in hospitals, not as a patient but as a pastoral minister,  many patients, whom I was called to meet,  were crying out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?!” (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46). Not only their health conditions had kept them from celebrating Easter in their churches but also their ongoing suffering and prospect of dying made it difficult to experience Easter joy. At the same time, away from where these patients were, people were flocking in restaurants for Easter brunches after churches.  

As a pastoral minister, I see that the original “Easter” is much more closer to the original “Good Friday” than to a kind of “happy” Easter that the world presents.  At the same time, just as Good Friday is not a day all about grief, the real “Easter” is not all about crying out to God because of ongoing sufferings and struggles.  Remember, on Good Friday, the closed gate of heaven was opened and graves of holy people were opened when Jesus expired at three o’clock in the afternoon (i.e. Matthew 27:51-53). Our “Easter” hope was already growing amidst the day of suffering and grief.

If we are truly embracing “Easter”, then, we always experience the joy of the Resurrection together with ongoing and even worsening struggles and sufferings – though they may lead us to confront our own mortality and frailty.  Then, we also realize that we cannot reduce real “Easter” to mere materialistic festivities.

Even if you are facing difficulties in experiencing “Easter” joy now, let’s be patient, allowing the Holy Spirit to be poured upon you and letting the Spirit bear its fruits, especially forbearance. This way, you shall experience more fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as joy, peace, and love, as your faithfulness grows.

Back in Holy Week during Lent, starting Spy Wednesday, throughout Paschal Triduum, the darkness increased, as reflected in Tenebrae reflection. Now, this Lenten darkness will gradually give its way to the light of the Resurrection. Not experiencing the Resurrection light right away on Easter Sunday with a worldly “joy” may make our Easter experience more authentic, because that was how the disciples’ original “Easter” experience started. The Risen Lord will come to even those who are doubtful, like Thomas, and transform their skepticism into belief with joy. We just make sure that we can meet the Risen Lord, whenever he comes to us.

Let us celebrate Easter more authentically, allowing the Risen Christ, to meet and touch us,  so that we can culminate our Easter experience on Pentecost!