Hey! It’s Still Easter!

When I had appendicitis last week, our preaching pastor visited me in the hospital. Having missed the service that Sunday–the first after Easter Sunday–I asked him what new sermon series he had started, now that Easter was over.

He looked at me a little surprised (as I’ve been so into liturgy and the Church Calendar the past couple of years) and informed me of something that I had apparently missed:

Easter is an entire season that is 50 days long.

(Wikipedia confirms.) Oh why do we shorten our time to rejoice and celebrate? This season is our excuse to go crazy and be joyful, bold, secure, and confident before our God and this world.

We have 33 more days before we celebrate Pentecost.

And so, it’s not yet time

to yield our hearts to the default pessimism of our lives;
to  return our focus to spiritual “performance” (and lack thereof);
to listen once more to the dark whispers echoing  in our minds.

Instead, it’s now still time

to wipe the dreary, miserable looks from our faces;
to shake the cloud hanging from our countenances;
to drag the towel across our soot-sodden souls and smile.

So drink a good beer or mimosa. Read about why the Resurrection matters. Take a friend out for a meal. Listen to good Easter music. Laugh. Read poetry. Tell good stories and jokes and celebrate, for

Alleluia, Christ is risen!
The Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia!

[image credit: once more, it’s my favorite artist Mark Rothko. This painting is also what I used for the header up top during Easter season. I hope it stirs you like it does me.]

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