I suspect that much of the reason for my priority of Christmas over Easter has to do with the cultural aspects of the holiday. Yes, Christmas is about the birth of Christ, but it is also about spending time with family, giving and receiving gifts, and participating in family rituals that may have been passed down from generation to generation. There is an expectation each year of how Christmas day will be spent. Although I got an Easter basket each year and we usually had an egg hunt, there weren’t nearly the family traditions surrounding this holiday. Both days have always been spiritual holidays in my mind, but I think that I have let these cultural aspects of Christmas usurp the spiritual significance of these two days and confuse my thinking as to their relative importance.
Now, I’m not saying that I’m against Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. On the contrary, I believe that tradition and ritual can add meaning to our lives. But it is good to be aware of the impact of cultural influence and to focus primarily on the spiritual significance of these days.
How can I start giving Easter the spiritual attention that it deserves? First, I need to recognize that Easter is, in fact, the pinnacle of all that Christianity is about. It was not just Christ’s birth that brought new life to each of us; it was in Christ’s death and resurrection that we have all been saved. When Christ died on the cross and rose on Easter morning, the debt of our sin was paid and our relationship with God was restored. God’s grace and forgiveness was extended to us through Christ’s death.
It’s what Christ did on the cross that changed my life forever. I should be celebrating this event more than any other day of the year. If my theology is sound and I am focused on all that Christ did, I will surely not miss Easter.
There are spiritual practices that can be helpful in focusing on the importance of Easter. Many people practice Lent, which is essentially designed to prepare our hearts for Easter. Giving up something or taking on some spiritual practice for the forty days leading up to Easter can serve as a reminder of all that Christ has done for us. If Lent is practiced as a way of focusing our attention, rather than simply accomplishing tasks to make us feel more holy, it can be valuable. Reading Scripture that recounts the story of Christ’s death and resurrection throughout the weeks leading up to Easter can also be beneficial.
