| Eastertide celebrating rebirth, resurrection and the renewal of Light coming into Life and the World. |
The return of Spring and light, has been celebrated by peoples everywhere since the beginning of time
- in many different ways.
The ancient Saxons, for example, celebrated the return of spring with an uproarious festival
commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eastre (or Eostra) – from which we get
the name Easter.
People elsewhere, celebrated it in other ways. Over time, we in the western world combined the
festivities and practices of our ancestors, and eventually added the major annual Christian feast we
know as Easter.
For those living in a culture much influenced by Christianity, at Easter time the various different
elements are incorporated.
The Easter Bunny symbol originated as the earthly symbol of the goddess, Eastre. The rabbit is of
course, also the symbol of reproduction and birth. This symbol of Easter was brought to North
America by the German people who settled there.
The Easter Egg: the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures from the earliest times. They were
often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, coloured brightly by boiling them with the leaves
or petals of certain flowers.
For Christians, the actual feast is known as the The Easter Triduum.
This consists of the three holy days from Maundy Thursday through the vigil of Easter which focus on
Christ's passage from death to life. The three Holy Days are: Holy (Maundy) Thursday, Good Friday
and Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday).
Easter is the most important observation in the Christian liturgical year. It is called by many names in
different languages: we have already seen the English origin. Alternate, less common, names for Easter
include the "Sunday of the Resurrection”, "Pascha," and "Resurrection Day” (pascha derives from
"Pesach" (פסח in Hebrew) the name for Passover.
The Date of Easter: prior to A.D. 325, Easter was variously celebrated on different days of the
week, including Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The church eventually decided that Easter shall be celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after
the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. However, a caveat must be introduced here.
The "full moon" in the rule is the ecclesiastical full moon, which is defined as the fourteenth day of a
tabular lunation, where day 1 corresponds to the ecclesiastical New Moon. It does not always occur on
the same date as the astronomical full moon. The ecclesiastical "vernal equinox" is always on March 21.
Therefore, Easter “must be” celebrated on a Sunday between the dates of March 22 and April 25.
Liturgically, Easter is the culmination of The Lenten Season: Lent is the forty-six day period just
prior to Easter Sunday.
It begins on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday") is a celebration, sometimes
called "Carnival," practiced around the world, on the Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday. It was
designed as a way to "get it all out" before the sacrifices of Lent began. . It begins very dramatically
with the reception of ashes (symbol of mourning) – they also seen as marking Christians as “God’s
people”.
The special practices of Lent….added prayer, fasting, abstinence, almsgiving… remind us that this is no
ordinary time – it is a time of reflection, re-consideration of one’s life journey, and a preparation for
the symbolism that Easter recreates each year.
It takes the Church fifty days to celebrate it: from the close of Easter Sunday until Pentecost.
Easter – the Liturgical time:
Holy Thursday: the Easter Triduum begins with Mass on Holy Thursday evening, when Jesus washed
the disciples’ feet. It was His act of symbolizing the importance of “service”: to serve others.
Good Friday: The Good Friday rites center around the reading of the Passion of Jesus. With simple
dignity that story is retold, followed by prayers for the entire world, for this powerful mystery
brings blessings to the world. According to ancient tradition, an image or relic of the cross is
venerated this day, and the sacrament of Christ’s love for his church is received. It is a day of fasting
and quiet mourning.
The Easter Vigil: this is the high point of the Easter triduum celebrating the passion and resurrection
of Jesus. With a rich display of symbols, rites and readings, the church in worship expresses her faith
in the mystery that brings her into being.
Light conquers darkness: the vigil opens with a service of light. Like the Jewish Passover, our Easter
celebration coincides with the beginning of spring, when the sun offers new warmth and earth is ready
to flower again. Our words “lent” (from the Middle-English word for spring, “lengthening days”) and
“Easter” (possibly Germanic or Anglo-Saxon in origin, signifying “the east”, “the rising sun”) point to
the long tradition of seeing this holy mystery through signs of the natural world.
The lighting of the fire and the Easter candle go back to rites that long preceded Christianity. The
candle, carried with loving reverence and lyrically praised in word and song, is a sign of Christ, “the
light of the world,” and celebrates the victory of light over darkness that humanity has ever longed for.
- in many different ways.
The ancient Saxons, for example, celebrated the return of spring with an uproarious festival
commemorating their goddess of offspring and of springtime, Eastre (or Eostra) – from which we get
the name Easter.
People elsewhere, celebrated it in other ways. Over time, we in the western world combined the
festivities and practices of our ancestors, and eventually added the major annual Christian feast we
know as Easter.
For those living in a culture much influenced by Christianity, at Easter time the various different
elements are incorporated.
The Easter Bunny symbol originated as the earthly symbol of the goddess, Eastre. The rabbit is of
course, also the symbol of reproduction and birth. This symbol of Easter was brought to North
America by the German people who settled there.
The Easter Egg: the egg was a symbol of rebirth in most cultures from the earliest times. They were
often wrapped in gold leaf or, if you were a peasant, coloured brightly by boiling them with the leaves
or petals of certain flowers.
For Christians, the actual feast is known as the The Easter Triduum.
This consists of the three holy days from Maundy Thursday through the vigil of Easter which focus on
Christ's passage from death to life. The three Holy Days are: Holy (Maundy) Thursday, Good Friday
and Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil/Easter Sunday).
Easter is the most important observation in the Christian liturgical year. It is called by many names in
different languages: we have already seen the English origin. Alternate, less common, names for Easter
include the "Sunday of the Resurrection”, "Pascha," and "Resurrection Day” (pascha derives from
"Pesach" (פסח in Hebrew) the name for Passover.
The Date of Easter: prior to A.D. 325, Easter was variously celebrated on different days of the
week, including Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
The church eventually decided that Easter shall be celebrated on the first Sunday that occurs after
the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox. However, a caveat must be introduced here.
The "full moon" in the rule is the ecclesiastical full moon, which is defined as the fourteenth day of a
tabular lunation, where day 1 corresponds to the ecclesiastical New Moon. It does not always occur on
the same date as the astronomical full moon. The ecclesiastical "vernal equinox" is always on March 21.
Therefore, Easter “must be” celebrated on a Sunday between the dates of March 22 and April 25.
Liturgically, Easter is the culmination of The Lenten Season: Lent is the forty-six day period just
prior to Easter Sunday.
It begins on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras (French for "Fat Tuesday") is a celebration, sometimes
called "Carnival," practiced around the world, on the Tuesday prior to Ash Wednesday. It was
designed as a way to "get it all out" before the sacrifices of Lent began. . It begins very dramatically
with the reception of ashes (symbol of mourning) – they also seen as marking Christians as “God’s
people”.
The special practices of Lent….added prayer, fasting, abstinence, almsgiving… remind us that this is no
ordinary time – it is a time of reflection, re-consideration of one’s life journey, and a preparation for
the symbolism that Easter recreates each year.
It takes the Church fifty days to celebrate it: from the close of Easter Sunday until Pentecost.
Easter – the Liturgical time:
Holy Thursday: the Easter Triduum begins with Mass on Holy Thursday evening, when Jesus washed
the disciples’ feet. It was His act of symbolizing the importance of “service”: to serve others.
Good Friday: The Good Friday rites center around the reading of the Passion of Jesus. With simple
dignity that story is retold, followed by prayers for the entire world, for this powerful mystery
brings blessings to the world. According to ancient tradition, an image or relic of the cross is
venerated this day, and the sacrament of Christ’s love for his church is received. It is a day of fasting
and quiet mourning.
The Easter Vigil: this is the high point of the Easter triduum celebrating the passion and resurrection
of Jesus. With a rich display of symbols, rites and readings, the church in worship expresses her faith
in the mystery that brings her into being.
Light conquers darkness: the vigil opens with a service of light. Like the Jewish Passover, our Easter
celebration coincides with the beginning of spring, when the sun offers new warmth and earth is ready
to flower again. Our words “lent” (from the Middle-English word for spring, “lengthening days”) and
“Easter” (possibly Germanic or Anglo-Saxon in origin, signifying “the east”, “the rising sun”) point to
the long tradition of seeing this holy mystery through signs of the natural world.
The lighting of the fire and the Easter candle go back to rites that long preceded Christianity. The
candle, carried with loving reverence and lyrically praised in word and song, is a sign of Christ, “the
light of the world,” and celebrates the victory of light over darkness that humanity has ever longed for.
Whatever Easter signifies for you:
whether a personal, spiritual epiphany or rebirth,
Light in whatever form or manner re-entering your
life and spirit,
spiritual rebirth and advancement,
or deep religious signification,
I wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter.
2008
Klaas+
whether a personal, spiritual epiphany or rebirth,
Light in whatever form or manner re-entering your
life and spirit,
spiritual rebirth and advancement,
or deep religious signification,
I wish you a Happy and Blessed Easter.
2008
Klaas+
Foto: DawnStar files
Sound: Pie Jesu
MorningStar for people
To submit comments, requests or materials,
contact me at outreach@dawncoveabbey.org
contact me at outreach@dawncoveabbey.org
For empowerment workshops, seminars and lectures, see: http://www.dawncoveabbey.org/healing-circle
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MorningStar Inspiration from Dawn Cove Abbey
Article, haiku, humour and poem contributions are welcomed, and gratefully received
Layout & Design by DawnStar
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MorningStar Inspiration from Dawn Cove Abbey
Article, haiku, humour and poem contributions are welcomed, and gratefully received
Layout & Design by DawnStar
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| Let your inner light shine: make your reaction to feeling like a stagnant pond one that progresses you through to a full flowing river. ~anon |
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