WHAT DO YOU SEE AT EASTER?

When March and April come around each year, what do you see? There are so many things to see in those Spring months. There are green leaves popping up on trees and bushes, colorful flowers springing up through the ground and on the trees and bushes, green grass, blue skies, and fresh air that smells like sunshine.

But we also begin to see stuffed animals of rabbits, baby chicks, and even unicorns, beautifully colored eggs in plastic, ceramic, Styrofoam, and china, candy of every color of the flowers and the rainbow, and every name ever involved with candy — Hershey, Reese’s, Tootsie Roll and more.

We also see beautiful clothes and shoes in pink green, blue, and yellow, shiny, fluffy, and whimsical decorations and cute songs.

But while you’re looking at all of the wonderful items that supposedly usher in Easter, do you ever see a young man riding a small donkey into Jerusalem? Do you see a crowd waving palm branches and shouting “Hallelujah” and singing praises to welcome the man on the donkey? Do you see the man sharing the Passover meal with his followers or praying in the garden so passionately that he was sweating blood? Do you hear the followers call Him Jesus or Master? Can you see one of His followers leading the soldiers to arrest Jesus?

Are your eyes still on the bunnies, chicks and decorated eggs as the soldiers drag Jesus to Herod and Pontius Pilate? Do you hear the crack of whips as Jesus is beaten and tortured by the soldiers as they mock and threaten Jesus? Do you hear the same people who cheered and welcomed Jesus earlier now calling for Him to be crucified even though He has never harmed anyone or committed a sin?

Can you taste the colorful Easter candy as the soldiers pound the nails through Jesus’ wrists and ankles to secure Him to the rough, wooden cross as they raise it high to increase His pain and for all to see? Can you read the sign at the top of the cross which announces that Jesus is the King of the Jews?

Do you know that this Jesus is the son of the Most High and Almighty God who forgave a sinner while dying on that cross? Do you know that He went through all of this injustice, cruelty, pain and death because He loves you and has become the sacrifice for your sins and mine?

Can you hear the song, “Here Comes Peter Cottontail, “or can you hear Jesus saying, “It is finished,” as he died.

Can we look more carefully at Easter now and learn to overlook the Easter toys, eggs, candy, music and clothing that we have replaced Jesus with to remind us of Easter, and will we accept the free gift of forgiveness and everlasting life that Jesus gave us when He died?

And will we begin to understand that the greatest gift was given when he arose from the dead just three days after his death?

Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Let us rejoice and celebrate with praise and thanksgiving.

Anne Deraet

Tyler