Easter Scrooge?

I think it best that I start this post with a few disclaimers:

1. I am writing to no one, specifically, and I am in no way criticizing you, nor do I think less of you, if you celebrate Easter in ways that I question. (Many of you do and will likely continue!)
2. Many readers will likely disagree with my thoughts (my wife included).
3. We can agree to disagree and still be friends.
4. What good is writing and blogging if you can't be honest and transparent?

That being said, I admit it: I am an Easter Scrooge.

Oh, I know Easter is the most significant of Christian holidays. For a long time, though, I've really not been that into it. Guilty? Oh yeah, I've felt terribly guilty about my mediocre and apathetic response to this event that celebrates the resurrection of my Lord. But I can't deny it, so I'm trying to make some sense of it.

The older I get, the more I tend to question traditions. I find, though, that most people don't like traditions messed with. Hence the disclaimer. I'm not rebelling against traditions, per se, I'm just questioning... asking "why?" a lot. Why is it done this way? Why do we do that? Do we have to do it this way? Who says we can't do it differently?

I think, perhaps, this is partly the result of being a dad. I'm far, far, from being a model anything, leastwise a Dad. But, I do have a desire to be a good leader for my family and I try to parent very deliberately. Sometimes that deliberateness makes me cling desperately to dying traditions and other times it causes me to want to deviate from well-entrenched ones.

So, let us explore some Easter traditions through my lens.

Although I must admit I like a little commercialism with my Christmas, overall, I'm not a huge fan of commercialism, especially at Easter. Maybe I have undiagnosed ADHD, but I've long been very distracted by Easter's commercialism. A bit confused by it, actually. Maybe I have a difficult time multi-tasking, because I struggle with packing the religious and the commercial in one weekend... HE's not here (but the bunny was), for HE is risen! (what did he leave in your basket?) Bunnies and baskets? Bonnets and bows? I just have to ask why?

Ah, yes... tradition.

Now, I'll admit, as a child I loved going to Grandma's house over Easter break and spending some time with my cousins. I always looked forward to Grandma's Saturday evening Easter egg hunt. Everyone got a room in the house with an equal number of hidden candy to find, and one-by-one we'd work our way through the house. It was a fun... um... tradition. But, at some point after I quit believing in an Easter Bunny, the tradition of waking up on Sunday morning to an Easter basket seemed a little distracting to what the day was really about. (Mom, I know you read this... that's not a criticism... just thinking out loud!) I really didn't process it that way at the time, but I think the roots of my frustration with the commercialism of Easter reach somewhere back toward childhood. Even then, I think I sometimes wondered why Jesus should share the day with an egg-laying bunny and if some of the church attenders came for resurrection rejoicing or wardrobe wearing. (Again, don't take it personal if you gussy up for Easter service... it's spring... it's cute... just thinking out loud!)

This year, however, hasn't been just life as usual. Because (as I've mentioned in earlier posts) we are on our "church tour" seeking a place to call home, Easter was a little less predictable. I did a bit of an a-la-carte Easter this year. Dylan, Zachary and I attended an Easter play at one church, Good Friday service at another, and Jen and Zachary attended Easter service at yet another church. (We've been passing colds around, so we had to attend in part). I was really looking forward to Easter service this year, and although I was on sick kid duty and didn't get to go, I think it was more meaningful to me, personally, than many other years... for a few reasons.

This year, I focused my thoughts a lot more on the cross. I think a big part of my Easter frustration is due to the fact that my church background has focused so much more heavily on the Resurrection and tended to gloss over the Crucifixion. And why not? Resurrection is happy... crucifixion is not. But, how can you fully rejoice in the Resurrection, without first sharing in the sorrow of the cross? Sadly, I don't know that I've ever been to a Good Friday service before this year. Maybe I have and just don't remember? The boys couldn't understand why we would go to church on Friday. I explained to them that we were going to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf and to commemorate His death on the cross. We discussed the service on the drive home. I think they started to get it. As part of deliberate parenting, I hope in future years to focus my family's attention more on the events leading up to Easter, to try to frame for them the full relevance of Resurrection Sunday.

Also in the area of deliberate fathering, I suggested that we drop Easter baskets this year. Jen conceded (a bit reluctantly), but felt I was robbing my children of childhood joy. I see her point. We struck a compromise for future years to have some very minimal commercialism at some point during the Easter weekend, rather than Sunday morning Easter baskets. It is not my intent to stamp out all childhood fun, but to adjust tradition to be less distracting from the real significance of the holiday.

Lest you think I am just a Scrooge down on tradition with little factual backing, let me conclude with some Easter history I discovered. I'm certainly no expert, but I briefly searched Google for the basis of some of our modern Easter traditions. Did you know that Easter originates from a pagan festival to honor the Goddess of Fertility, Eastre? Rabbits and eggs have long been symbols of fertility. Since both the Resurrection and the fertility festival occurred in the spring time, the progression of history has brought us the modern day Easter, with its bunnies, eggs and empty tomb. For this reason, some churches avoid the term "Easter" and favor "Resurrection Sunday". Hmmm... I think I like that.

So, are Easter traditions harmless childish fun that combine with springtime to help point us to new life and resurrection? Maybe. I doubt that any of you really pay homage to the Goddess of Fertility with your eggs and rabbits. Just the same, though, I have to ask... my Lord and Saviour, who gave His life to redeem my sinful soul, and rose to life the first Resurrection Sunday... should He have to share His glorious day with Eastre and the world's commercialism? Call me a fanatic if you want, but I struggle with the conflicts posed by... Eastre Sunday.