Still Easter

I took this picture of Lake Erie about a month ago just after the Easter sunrise service as I headed home to prepare for gathering of family and friends. What a beautiful day it was!

Something that I think many people don't realize, however, is that celebration of Easter isn't just a single day. The Christian season of Eastertide is actually 50 days long as we journey from Easter to Pentecost (which is June 5 this year). So it is STILL EASTER!

This lesser known season of Eastertide (50 days) is actually longer than the liturgical seasons of Lent (40 days) or Advent (approximately 30 days) with which we are far more familiar. Perhaps there is a reason we are gifted with extra time to contemplate the Easter message.

Perhaps the season of Eastertide is meant to be a reminder that the message of Easter...

life is stronger than death,

love is stronger than hate,

new beginnings always follow painful endings

... is so very important that we need extra time to weave it into our heart and soul space.

Our collective lives have been focused a lot recently on the agony of the world that is full of death, hatred and painful endings. The very real suffering we witness and experience is heart-wrenching. Yet, I believe that even in the midst of the horrific headlines, public rancor, health and human challenges that surround us ...

the Easter message of life, love and new beginnings

is essential to our collective healing.

It is STILL EASTER. The grave is still empty. New life is still emerging. We still have hope. May we have eyes to see and ears to hear. Today and every day.