The Humanity of Easter
I didn’t celebrate Easter until I was just a month shy of my fourteenth birthday.
As many of you know, I didn’t grow up in church–– I started attending in December of 2000 when I was thirteen.
That first year of church was a whirlwind. but none more so than Easter. Of course, I’d grown up hearing about Jesus’ resurrection, but I’d never actually celebrated it in Christian community with other people. The Christians in my family did not celebrate it at all–– opting to not celebrate Christmas and Easter as Christian holidays since there really is no way to fully pinpoint exactly when Jesus was born or died.
So, that first Easter season in 2001 was all new to me. I remember being excited to recognize Jesus’ resurrection in such a big way. After all, I was a new Christian and everything about being a disciple of Jesus was exciting. I can’t remember what the preacher said, or the music sang, but I can remember the excitement I felt about celebrating Jesus coming back to life. “He is risen!” we said together. “He is risen, indeed!”
As I moved through Divinity School, we studied the resurrection from all kinds of contextual understandings and theological meanings. With each new learning, Easter became more exciting to me. From a better understanding of the Jewish Passover that was happening during the first Holy Week, to Roman practices that put Pilate in Jerusalem during the trial, to the ways crucifixion and burial worked: all of these things enhanced my understanding of the first Easter in ways that added to its meaning for me.
It was not until I was in Divinity School that I began to understand just how human all of the events of the first Easter were. When I’d first experienced it, I’d pictured Jesus as Clark Kent-turned-Superman, busting out of the tomb like some superhuman alien. I’d ignored the characters of the story in lieu of the deeper theological meanings that were to be remembered behind it.
The thing about ignoring the humanity of it all? You lose the full meaning of Easter. If you don’t wrestle with Peter’s guilt, Judas’ betrayal, the women’s fear, Thomas’ doubt, and all the other humanity in the story, you lose a huge part of what the story is about–– and you lose connection of their humanity to yours. This Eastertide, I hope you’ll be reminded of the humanity of Jesus’ resurrection and that it will bring the excitement of Easter back to your life.
He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
As many of you know, I didn’t grow up in church–– I started attending in December of 2000 when I was thirteen.
That first year of church was a whirlwind. but none more so than Easter. Of course, I’d grown up hearing about Jesus’ resurrection, but I’d never actually celebrated it in Christian community with other people. The Christians in my family did not celebrate it at all–– opting to not celebrate Christmas and Easter as Christian holidays since there really is no way to fully pinpoint exactly when Jesus was born or died.
So, that first Easter season in 2001 was all new to me. I remember being excited to recognize Jesus’ resurrection in such a big way. After all, I was a new Christian and everything about being a disciple of Jesus was exciting. I can’t remember what the preacher said, or the music sang, but I can remember the excitement I felt about celebrating Jesus coming back to life. “He is risen!” we said together. “He is risen, indeed!”
As I moved through Divinity School, we studied the resurrection from all kinds of contextual understandings and theological meanings. With each new learning, Easter became more exciting to me. From a better understanding of the Jewish Passover that was happening during the first Holy Week, to Roman practices that put Pilate in Jerusalem during the trial, to the ways crucifixion and burial worked: all of these things enhanced my understanding of the first Easter in ways that added to its meaning for me.
It was not until I was in Divinity School that I began to understand just how human all of the events of the first Easter were. When I’d first experienced it, I’d pictured Jesus as Clark Kent-turned-Superman, busting out of the tomb like some superhuman alien. I’d ignored the characters of the story in lieu of the deeper theological meanings that were to be remembered behind it.
The thing about ignoring the humanity of it all? You lose the full meaning of Easter. If you don’t wrestle with Peter’s guilt, Judas’ betrayal, the women’s fear, Thomas’ doubt, and all the other humanity in the story, you lose a huge part of what the story is about–– and you lose connection of their humanity to yours. This Eastertide, I hope you’ll be reminded of the humanity of Jesus’ resurrection and that it will bring the excitement of Easter back to your life.
He is risen! He is risen, indeed!
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1 Comment
I feel always so unworthy of such a love that Jesus has given to me. I become emotional many times during your sermons they touch me deeply but Easter brings a whole new level of emotions , excitement and knowing I am loved unconditionally. Thank you for sharing your personal story with me even though it is meant for others too. I just know that Jesus loving me has a personal feeling in a unique way. Thank you!🙏