Jesus is Risen. He is Risen Indeed.
By Reverend Andy Fleming, Chaplain
This Easter Sunday is a wonderful time to celebrate the new life Jesus gifted us. Don’t be surprised if your children clink their eggs together while one calls out, “Jesus is risen,” and the other responds, “He is risen indeed!” This comes from the Greek Easter egg-cracking tradition, which Rev. Katherine and I performed at the Kindergarten to Year 6 Easter Service on the Tuesday of Week 9.
There are many cultural Easter traditions that celebrate Christ’s resurrection. Churches of all persuasions observe Holy Week, beginning with Palm or Passion Sunday, which observe Jesus' entry into Jerusalem through to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Obviously, the most popular tradition is that of sharing Easter eggs, particularly the chocolate ones that may be hidden for children to find in an Easter egg hunt.
Aside from the Greek egg cracking, Rev. Katherine and I shared with the K-6 students how eggs can remind us of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday. The hollowness of the egg can be a prompt to think of the empty tomb Mary Magdalene and the other women found on the morning of Easter Sunday; how the despair of Jesus’ missing body is replaced by a fresh sense of hope as Christ appears to Mary. The sweetness of the chocolate is a reminder of the gift of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for us, so we can have new life through him.
For Easter celebrations at local Anglican parishes see:
Lost and Found by Rev. Sarah (Are) Speed
Mary wept.
Standing in the garden,
soft dirt under her feet,
sun still tucked away,
sleeping under the horizon.
The other disciples left,
but Mary stayed.
Mary wept.
Shoulders shaking,
tears running down her face.
She said, They have taken my Lord away,
and I don’t know where they put him.
But here’s what Easter taught me:
if you think you’ve lost God,
if it feels like heaven has slipped through the cracks,
if you feel like the night will never end,
then know, there is no hide-and-seek with the divine
that doesn’t end in you being found.
Stay still.
Keep breathing.
God is closer than you think.
Wishing you all a safe and blessed Easter.