Think Easter’s Over? Think Again

For secular society, Easter ended this week. Decorations were taken down, eggs were eaten, people went back to work.

But for Christians, it’s only just beginning. After the 40 days of Lent, we’re in party mode and celebrating Christ’s resurrection with a whopping 50 days of feasting that end with Pentecost on Sunday 19th May.

These 50 days of Easter cover all earthly appearances of the risen Christ leading to his Ascension in the first chapter of Acts. As modern-day Christians, going back to the daily grind and looking ahead to summer plans, it’s easy to forget just how earth-shattering this time was for the disciples.

They’ve just seen their Messiah mocked, tortured, and butchered. Their hopes are in tatters. Peter, John, James and the rest abandoned everything they’ve ever known to follow a guy from Nazareth and this amazing journey that was supposed to lead them to glory ended in brutal bloodshed instead. Not only that, they’re terrified. If the Messiah can be nailed to a cross, surely it’s only a matter of time before they’re rounded up for the same fate. 

One can easily imagine the disciples echoing Christ as he quoted the Psalms - “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

And then the big reveal. Rather than being forsaken, they’re vindicated. They come face to face with the awesome power of their God, confronted in real-time with a divine mystery that’s too much for the human mind to truly comprehend. They’re afraid, they doubt, they question - all very relatable coping mechanisms that allow them to slowly acknowledge the truth of what they’ve seen, a truth so powerful they’ll willingly die for it.

Christ coaxes them into understanding. He appears to a few at a time. He stands among them in a locked room. He urges them to look at his wounds. He sits by the shore to eat fish with his fishermen. Little by little, he’s letting them see - I’m not a ghost, I’m not a fevered group hallucination or a trick of the Romans. I’m what you hoped for, I’m what saves the world. Now go, tell them. 

That’s what we celebrate at Easter. And that’s why it’s worth 50 days of our time. 

A Guide to the 50 Days of Easter

Bright Week

The week following Easter Sunday is known as Bright Week or Renewal Week in the Orthodox tradition. Fasting was prohibited for this week as it’s a time of joy and feasting. Traditionally, church doors were open for all services to symbolize the opening of Christ’s tomb.

Eastertide

The seven Sundays of Easter (including Easter Sunday) are known collectively as Eastertide. Each Sunday is known as a ‘little Easter’ meaning it’s treated as a celebratory feast day. 

For a list of readings and prayers for each of the Easter Sundays, visit the Revised Common Lectionary here.