Happy Easter This Sunday

This is the Easter card (by Marian Heath) I sent to my Mom.  Look at those beady eyes and wedged feet. Darling, right? 

Easter is the oldest and most important festival on the Christian calendar, celebrating the belief that Jesus rose from the dead.  Christians believe that good can defeat evil, and eternal life will overcome death.  In a nutshell, humankind was liberated from sin and darkness and returned to grace.  (The word "sin" as used in the New Testament, is translated from the Classical Greek word, "ἁμαρτία."  It means "to miss the mark.")  

Like Passover, Easter is not a fixed holiday. It falls between March 22 and April 25 on the first Sunday after the first full moon, following the northern spring equinox. According to Bede, a Medieval sourcebook, the word "Easter" is Old English from German.  It stems from "Eastre," the name of a pagan spring and fertility goddess.  Rooted in Judaism, Easter marked the beginning of a new Church with new traditions.

Spring is an ideal season to celebrate Easter since in nature it's a time of new beginnings ...

... for plants and cute little creatures all around us.  

Easter critters remind me of the time I crossed Central Park to find a baby duck.  It was a scorching afternoon.  Three strangers and I took turns holding the duck like an infant while we called rescue places and tried to figure out what to do?!?  The temperature was so hot we feared the duck would dehydrate, so we tried to get him to float in a pond, but the second we put him in the water, he climbed out and ran back to us.  Finally, we located an organization, which found the little fellow a home.  That baby duck would have died in the blistering sun.  Better to celebrate Easter by bringing home the chocolate variety.  

Enjoy the new season.  Happy Easter!  And Happy Passover!

               


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Hello Easter 2020

Photo uploaded by my Canadian friend, Michael Henry

This year's Easter of staying home and social distancing is tough, isn't it? Fortunately it is the first serious disease for many of us that has stopped us in our tracks, a global pandemic with no viccine to protect us (it's at least 18 months away). Unlike earlier generations, we aren't used to enduring fear, suffering, and uncertainty over a long haul. And yet, we know we'll get through this trying time, don't we? Of course, we do. 

"Tomb, thou shall not hold Him longer; 

Death is strong, but Life is stronger;

Stronger than the dark, the light;

Stronger than the wrong, the right;

Faith and Hope triumphant say

Christ will rise on Easter Day."

~ An Easter Carol by Phillips Brooks (who wrote "O Little Town of Bethlehem")

Wash those praying hands often.😊


Stay vigilant and well, my lovelies. Happy Easter Everyone!🌷

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The vibrant colors of Easter Sunday are all around us. 

Just like centuries ago, spring arrives and a new cycle of life begins, including for these chicks, bunnies and daffodils. Sweet!

Easter reminds us to keep on keeping on. Tomorrow will be brighter.

The holiday commemorates hope, optimism and human perseverance.

Life is a journey with ups and downs and many a winding road ... and yet, most of us are hoping for the best, aren't we? Christians believe that God became man so that man could become more like God ... and resist sin -- meaning "to miss the mark" (or fall short). Wouldn't it be wonderful if people all over the world judged a little less, gave a litte more and simply put their time and energy into living a life of greater purpose?

Lots of love and Happy Easter!
        

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Here's hoping you enjoy time with family and friends over a festive meal. Hours of catching up. Much laughter. A little reflection. Some sweets. And, a bit of rest and relaxation. 

On the holiest day of the Christan calender, thankfully, it remains a low-key holiday. No gifts to exchange and no commercialization. A quiet, yet meaningful holiday of eternal hope.

  

Easter celebrates perseverance over adversity, which is something all human beings have in common. Whether or not your faith celebrates Easter Sunday, let's all plan to enjoy the day ... and eat a piece of chocolate in solidarity! Happy spring, a joyous Passover to readers who celebrate and ...

Happy Easter Everyone!🌷

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Photo by Orbmiser/flickr

Easter is a holiday of bright, lively colors ... from dyed eggs ... to budding flowers ... from baby ducks ... to Easter dresses.

Photo by Almaharri

Easter is a time of renewal and new beginnings ... in nature and religious faith.

Photo by Handful Of Quietness

This little bunny reminds me of A Tale Of Peter Rabbit.  He is perfectly content resting in gentle hands unlike Peter Rabbit, who was chased after by mean, old Mr. McGregor after entering Mr. McGregor's garden and eating his "lettuces, green beans and radishes."  Had Peter not gotten away, Mr. McGregor would have hit him with a rake and served him up as a pot pie!   This little guy is in much safer hands.

1909 Wessler Easter postcard - on Ebay for $2.99 here

Now that a new season is here, stop to notice the flowers ... enjoy the spring ... and a Happy Easter Everyone!

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To get your fix of the festive Easter eggs, ducklings and bunnies I usually post on this holiday, go here. But this year, let's change it up a bit. There are many unsettling world events, including recent terrorism in France, Belgium and Turkey, as well as, the hateful rhetoric we hear from one presidential candidate in the United States. Worldly and personally, life always has challenges. So why is Easter celebrated?

Christianity recognizes that good and evil exist in the world. Traditional Christianity teaches that humanity has a basic flaw, called sin (which is to "miss the mark"). It says, when we choose sin over good, it shatters our relationship with God and one another. Christians believe God sent his only son to overcome sin, and in doing so, humanity was restored to grace ("the free, unmerited favor of God," also "divine influences to inspire virtuous impulses").

In the end, believing requires a leap of faith. That's why I love Caravaggio's beautiful painting of Christ with St. Thomas. By nature, I'm more like St. Thomas, than I am like St. Peter or St. Paul, the two transcending leaders of the early Church. Definitely, I'm the person who'd ask to put my fingers in the wounds to believe. Then after, I might still have some doubts! The Christ in the Gospels and painting accepts it. If anything, Jesus is for transparency, "Come, touch. See for yourself."

Easter celebrates a belief that ultimately good will defeat evil and eternal life will replace death. It encourages us to have hope and human perseverance. 

And now, let's go on a blog pilgrimage! Join me in marveling at some of the most stunning stain glass in Christian churches around the world. Regrettably, I can only post a few:

Church of Notre-Dame au Sablon, Brussels, Belgium

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Reims - windows by Marc Chagall

St Nicolaaskerk Church, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Happy Easter Everyone!
        

Check out this jaw-dropping mosque also.

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Noli me tangere by Simone Cantarini (1612 - 1648), an Italian painter who was born in Pesaro, the then Papal States 

Scholars of theology think Mary Magdalene was an influential figure in the early Christian Church. According to all 4 Gospels, she was one of the women who traveled with Jesus and supported his ministry from the beginning to the end. The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John mention her by name 12 times, more than any other woman fellower, as well as, more than most of the apostles. Mary Magdalene was never a prostitute. Blame Pope Gregory IX for a sermon he gave in the 13th century for this wrong perception. According to the Gospels, she witnessed the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and was the first person Jesus appeared to after rising from the dead. Some theologians think she was a leader of the early church. She is declared a saint in the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran Churches. In 2016 Pope Francis elevated her status higher calling her the "Apostle of the Apostles." Theologians postulate the reason Mary Magdalene was the 1st person the risen Christ appeared to was due to how highly he regarded her. Some of the unauthorized (called non-canon gospels, the gospels of Thomas and Philip) portray Jesus and Mary as romantically close, which so far is impossible to confirm, but surely will continue to be the source of endless speculation. Easter, the most important date on the Christian calendar, celebrates hope, optimism, and human perseverance.

Enjoy the day and eat the chocolate.

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Easter is this Sunday ... and not a moment too soon. Old Man Winter begone! On the Western Hemisphere, it's symbolic how Easter arrives as spring begins. In the west, we have persevered through another cold, harsh winter when nothing grows, and now can look forward to sunny days as a new cycle of life begins.

Christianity recognizes that not all is right in the world. Both good and evil exist. There is much suffering and injustice on earth. In fact, history is a solemn record of hard times marked by hunger, disease, death, natural disasters and political unrest, etc. But Easter reminds us to look at the big picture. Find the light at the end of the tunnel. With perseverance, good can ... and will overcome evil.

Explaining why evil exists is difficult, and yet without strife, there is often no growth. I have heard it said, we learn as much from our hardships and failures as we do from our successes. Easter reminds us to look on the bright side of life! Be positive. Have hope. Opt to do good. Keep striving, and never give up! 

A Happy Easter! Likewise, a Blessed Passover. 🌷🌻🌺

River Jordan 

The Secret Sisters

'Go to the river Jordan', said the prophet to the king

'Wash in that murky water seven times and you'll be clean'

Yeah, that deep rollin' river's gonna make you new and whole

And the faith acquired of you will save your soul

Let's go down to the river, raise our voices in prayer

And get ourselves a snow white robe to wear

Take away the earthly stains, remove each and every one

In the name of the Father and the Son

Jesus said to John the Baptist, bury me in that cold grave

Made of Jordan's icy water, I will show you all the way

And a light came down from Heaven saying this is My Own Son

And I sure am please with what has just been done

Let's go down to the river, raise our voices in prayer

And get ourselves a snow white robe to wear

Take away the earthly stains, remove each and every one

In the name of the Father and the Son

I'm looking for the river Jordan, that old life giving stream
Within its waves of mercy sweet forgiveness ever teamed
I'm a weary broken soul living in a house of clay
And that river's gonna wash my sins away

Let's go down to the river, raise our voices in prayer

And get ourselves a snow white robe to wear

Take away the earthly stains, remove each and every one

In the name of the Father and the Son ... Bury me, river Jordan

Songwriters: Laura Elizabeth Rogers / Lydia Lane Rogers
River Jordan lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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