Lessons from the Great Fifty Days of Easter

Lessons from the Great Fifty Days of Easter

Langley at Grace Church in NYC with an Easter Parade

"I looked and saw a nurse, dressed all in white, standing by a bed in the makeshift ICU. "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" she asked, pulling back the curtain to reveal an empty bed. Confused, I turned and walked outside, leaving the hospital as if it were a tomb, and stepped into the streets." 

There were hundreds of people there, laughing and talking, strolling hand in hand, children playing in the parks, and hugging one another as they met on busy sidewalks. The shops were full. The streets were full. The city was overflowing with the sounds of life, joyous and unending, beneath a clear, sunny sky. I stood transfixed. Then I remembered: it was Easter Day!—Steven Charleston's Facebook Page, Easter 2020.

In case you did not see Bishop Charleston's previous Easter Facebook Page, here it is! He tells us what the resurrection of our state, country, and world will look like. He constantly reminds us to look fear in the eye and shows us what hope looks like. Reread the resurrection stories of Jesus. So often, he says, "Fear not. Do not be afraid; Peace be with you." 

Not being afraid means knowing that God is beside us and cares for us. God walks beside us today so that we, again this year, can bring the joy of Easter out of our churches. The Easter Parade is a reminder of a movement into our streets, shops, and workplaces to share the good news.

Customs and traditions can also help us remember God's love as God walks with us, especially during a joyous holiday such as Easter. My granddaughter Zoe and I have a custom of watching the movie Easter Parade on Holy Saturday. Later, on an Easter Day after lunch, I watched Easter Parade with our oldest granddaughter, Langley, who had never seen it. That night, she showed me pictures of that day's Easter Parade in New York City. It was very different from the past, but still joyous. 

Last Easter, Langley, who is now in school in New York, sent us a picture of the Easter parade at her church in the city. A tradition celebrated even when we are apart.

We need traditions to remind us of life and love from the past. We also live in the present and carry traditions forward to keep remembering. Customs can be as simple as watching a movie with people you love. Traditions help us remember a time of God's love and promise. Sometimes, we can enjoy the experience even more in our memories.

The joy of the great fifty days of Easter is an ideal time to celebrate family traditions and memories of love.