Easter: Rebirth and Resolution

Easter is the most important Christian festival.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus. At Easter we reflect on how he gave his life, and what he taught us by the examples he showed through that life.

For us it’s a family celebration, friends are, of course, included.

What I do wonder however, as we prepare for the holiday, is why Christmas is seen as a natural time for helping others and yet Easter, the time Christ gave us the greatest gift of all, isn’t usually seen in the same light.

In reality, looking after our fellow man should be an everyday habit, not something reserved for special occasions or tied to single events.

These events do serve to bring focus to need and they prompt response, and of course that is good and valuable. But I would love to see a cultural shift that makes setting a ‘virtual place’ for a stranger at our table — by donating just enough for a meal or a coffee every day or every week or month, whatever we can afford, is just what we do.

If you have ever tipped loose change into a jar over the weeks and then counted what you have when it’s full, it’s surprising how much you haven’t really missed. Giving a little, over a long time, is giving a lot. It’s making a difference and it’s a way of giving thanks for the lives most of us are lucky enough to have.

The UK Easter weather is predicted to be hotter than parts of Greece and Spain, the bluebells have burst forth and everywhere we’re surrounded by nature launching into life. Nature has its body-clock and full-on Spring is a season of promise and potential.

Perhaps Easter should be another time to make resolutions, or at least one small promise — one that might help someone else achieve their potential?