Why I Can’t Stand Easter….

Well, okay, it’s not completely true, but now that I have your attention I’ll explain myself!

It’s not that I don’t like Easter, I mean, who doesn’t love spending a long weekend with their family, eating copious amounts of chocolate and hot cross buns? I for one love that side of it, but for me, there is a far more important side of Easter…… It’s all about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

Easter for me is one of the most important times of the year for reflection. It’s a time to sit down, take a deep breath, and remember the price Christ paid, so I could live this Blessed life that He has given me.

A couple of years ago, Phil and I went to the movies to see The Passion of the Christ. I knew it was going to be a horrific movie, but until sitting through it, I didn’t realize what a huge impact it would have on me. To be honest, I walked out of the movie halfway through. I just couldn’t handle it. The torture, the humiliation, the absolute cruelty shown towards my Saviour, was too much for me to sit through. Now I know it’s just a movie, but it rocked me to the core. I have thought several times when I have seen it in the DVD shop that I should get it out and sit through all of it…… But I just can’t bring myself to do it! I guess it’s one thing to read about it, but it’s another to sit there and watch it!

I am in a drama at Church, which we are performing over Easter. It is a powerful drama about the long and troubled night Christ went through before the crucifixion. In one part of the drama, we all fall to our knee’s at the Cross. We were told to act like we would if we were really at the Cross. Each time I have practiced this, I have been moved to tears. Thankfully, no one will see my tears, as I have my head down and back turned to the crowd, but it is powerful and it is moving and hits me every time.

So for me, this is what Easter is about, remembering the price Christ paid for my freedom but do I only reflect about this at Easter? Shouldn’t this be something that I have reflected on more often? Sure, we look at it when we take communion, but again, shouldn’t it be more than that, too? The price Christ paid for my freedom is something that I don’t actually take for granted, it is something that I still struggle to comprehend. That when it came down to it, if I was the only person on earth, Christ still would have died for me! Christ was hung on that Cross for me. Yip, little ole me! Kathy, who stuffs up on a daily basis, Kathy, who takes Blessings for granted, Kathy, who regularly asks for forgiveness and is far from perfect. Christ persevered through all suffering so that I could live in abundant freedom.

So as I get ready for this weekend, one that will be spent with family, eating chocolate, and going to Church, my goal is to honor Christ as best as I can with my life. To make what, He did for me on the Cross worth it. Not just this Easter weekend but every day that I am graced with. I may not be perfect, but that doesn’t change the fact that Christ was the perfect sacrifice for my life.