Hope is the Promise of Easter

As a little kid Easter was always a special celebration in my family. While it did not have the tinsel and brightly colored lights of Christmas, it did have its own traditions.

Easter traditions always started with Lent. In my family Lent was a time to give up something. I distinctly remember conversations about what I was going to give up. Sauerkraut, oatmeal, and gooey eggs were quickly nixed as my viable candidates of choice. Usually it was strongly suggested sweet snacks in general would be a good selection. When I say suggested – a parental suggestion equaled my choice. My family also did not believe that Sundays were free or cheat days during lent. What you gave up, you gave up from Ash Wednesday until Easter morning after Mass.

As part of our Easter traditions we colored Easter eggs. This was accomplished by putting different colored dyes in a vinegar solution and then carefully lowering hard boiled eggs by means of a flimsy metal loop into the colored water. The goal was to have pretty pastel, Spring themed dyed eggs to put on the table for Easter meals. What could go wrong with this activity? I cannot remember how many eggs would be dropped instead of lowered, cracking the shell and forcing dye into the egg. How many eggs were subjected to coloring experiments that produced a morose shade of bluish grey that was extremely unappetizing assuming you even liked to eat hard boiled eggs.

Holy Saturday was very busy at my parish. On Holy Saturday our parishioners brought Easter Baskets to be blessed. Each basket was filled with Easter morning breakfast items to be shared which included butter formed into the shape of a Pascal Lamb.

Easter traditions encompassed my whole life. My Scout Troop was very busy during Lenten Fridays for we must have served what seemed like millions of fish frys every Friday evening in the church hall. As a remembrance of Pontius Pilate stationing guards around Jesus’ tomb. Boy and Girls Scouts from our Troop took shifts to stand at attention and guard the tomb of Jesus on Holy Saturday.

All of this culminated with Easter Sunday Mass and our family celebrations. As I reflect back on these traditions I am reminded that all of them centered on faith, family and food. Faith when reading the Passion, making the Stations of the Cross or being silent for one hour in remembrance of Jesus being crucified. Family doing the many family activities including the wider community family traditions. Food, from the spiritual nourishment of the Sacraments to the shared food of our family.

The kid in these stories learned that Easter is important because a risen Christ gives us hope. I take real comfort that Jesus is by our side. Christ is Risen.

May you and your family have a Blessed Easter!

Author: Mike Earsing, President