Of the Christian holidays, Easter is my favorite.

Not only is it the most Christian - I mean the entire point of jesus being a big deal is the whole crucifixion and resurrection bit, right? - it is also the most pagan. Or at least the most syncretized. 

At Easter, the themes of betrayal, sacrifice, death and rebirth play out in the foreground, while in the background, the Passover theme of being spared from plague and death by dutiful sacrifice underscores the mood and meaning of this time. Encompassing all of this is nature’s cycle of life-death-life that Spring reminds us of.... what has been silent and dark and dormant for months, is now returning to light and life. 

From the Easter-Passover legends and rituals we extract the archetypal understanding that the sacrifice of a seemingly small, but not completely insignificant thing is often required for broader salvation, for the entire community to continue its existence. The Paschal lamb is a recurring symbol that embodies this notion of a demonstrable price that must be paid so that death knows it can claim nothing from those who have paid it. 

It’s an odd Easter this year. Any other time, i would have already had my menu planned, my part-pagan, part-christian themed decor set up, the backyard trimmed and pretty, and a smattering of close friends with open invites to stop by as the spirit moves them. None of that will be going down this Sunday. Well, maybe not none of it. I still plan to make a nice spring-like meal for myself, but, given the current ‘plague’, the celebration will be a solitary one. I’ve got big plans to play in the dirt today, to participate in the life-bringing that the season calls for by planting new things around my backyard. There will certainly be music and plenty of light as Spring is already showing off here in Atlanta. And there will undoubtedly be sacrifice. The sacrifice of remaining in place, of giving up a little bit of my normal to help ensure that the entire community can continue its existence. It’s a small, but not insignificant price. 

The religious season reminds me that this time is holy because it highlights a universal truth that extends beyond religion or denomination: death and life are 2 sides of the same coin. In celebrating one, we celebrate the other. And through our sacrifice, we ensure that life will continue for all of us... even as it transforms us and beckons us to continue our individual and collective evolution. 

Happy Easter, chirren. 🙂