April 15, 2001

Although Easter happens to be the greatest celebration on the Christian calendar, it does not register as such on the secular calendar. Next to Christmas, it pales by comparison. The Easter Bunny is no match for the likes of Santa Claus. There are Easter Egg Hunts, but no way can they compare to Christmas caroling or visits to Santa or mistletoe and holly. There is no countdown of shopping days to Easter. There are no movies like Charlie Brown Easter or Easter Miracle on 34th Street. When it comes to its place on the calendar of secular holidays, Easter barely edges out DINGUS DAY or Lincoln's birthday in popularity.

In 1507, the Renaissance painter Mainard painted a portrait of the Virgin and the Child flanked by Sts. Joseph and Nicholas. The depiction of Nicholas was tall and thin. The sack that he carries is not filled with toys but four loaves of bread. This represented for the people of the time the difference between life and death, and sustenance. Over time the real image of St. Nicholas as shown back then has gone through a number of revisions. Jolly old St. Nicholas has become a far less disturbing figure than the one of the 1500's.

The change in image of St. Nicholas brings home the point that we have made Christmas into a holiday that successfully removes from its makeup anything that resembles pain or suffering. We prefer the world of fantasy to the world of reality, which is why Easter never made it to the BIG TIMES as a secular holiday.

You have an adult Jesus who is a more threatening figure than a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And his message speaks to activity that is disturbing, challenging, and unnerving. Add to that the CROSS - with its suffering and the tomb and the idea of leaving the tomb. It's all a bit much for a society that prefers eggnog to making sacrifices, receiving presents to receiving challenges, singing carols, to carrying a cross. Unlike Christmas, Easter can be frightening and too revealing of our deficiencies in following Jesus.

As we approach the altar this Easter Sunday, we celebrate the ALLELUIA!! Knowing that life will go on. We will continue to be challenged. The only difference being we are that Easter People...that Alleluia People refreshing each other in that great gift of salvation won for us by the Lord Jesus, AMEN ALLELUIA!!

SO THE QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOUR EASTER TRADITIONS AND HOW DO THEY SPEAK OF THE GIFT OF THE RESURRECTION?

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