All too often, the true meaning of Christian holidays get swept under the rug. Candy canes, Christmas trees, Easter baskets, decorations and presents end up taking the attention away from Jesus' birth, love and resurrection. While Easter baskets, candy, the Easter Bunny and a big family dinner are all wonderful parts of Easter Sunday, they can't compare to the true reason we celebrate Easter.
Mark 16:5-7
5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
Throughout these past few weeks of Lent, most of us gave up something or did something extra to show our love for God and our commitment to His promise. And, if you're like me, you've failed on your Lenten promise more than once. But, by the Grace of God, we're constantly given chance after chance to glorify Him by our words, actions, and the manner in which we live our life. Even though we fail and make poor decisions, God continues to show us His mercy and unconditional love. Regardless of how many times we ignore our Lenten promise and regardless of how many times we choose to turn away from God, God never turns away from us. That's the true meaning of Easter: God's unconditional love.
Acts 3:15
15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.The story of the Passion of Christ is the most powerful story ever told. If you really and truly reflect on the depth of that story, it can be hard to wrap your head around it. How are we so lucky to have a God who loves us, our flaws and all? How are we so blessed as to have death conquered for us? It is because of Jesus's perfect sacrifice that the gates of heaven are open for our arrival some day. God loves us so much that He allowed His son to die and resurrect, so that we, the sinners who put Jesus on the cross, may have eternal life.
The true meaning of Easter is unconditional love. Jesus's resurrection from the dead reassures us that He will never leave us, and He will love us through everything -- through our sins, our triumphs, our failures and our great days. God sacrificed Himself for us and invited us home to be with Him in heaven, even though we constantly sin. That is unconditional love.
During the Easter season, we are also reminded to be messengers of the Good News. God reminds us that since He is no longer walking this earth in the form of Jesus Christ, a human being, we are to be His hands and feet. It is our job as Christians to proclaim God's love for humanity. We are reminded to always love as Jesus loves: unconditionally.
So, during Easter Sunday, have your candy, your Easter baskets, chocolate eggs and a nice dinner with your family. But, remember the true meaning of Easter: God's unconditional love for you.