Easter, and Holy Week in general, is one of my least favorite holidays. By rights it should be among my favorites because it represents the event that forms the foundation of my religious beliefs and my relationship with Christ. It just seems so feminized, though.
This may come down to the fact that the real holiday is considered Easter and Good Friday is a day leading up to the ultimate holiday, but when I think of the Crucifixion and Resurrection I am disappointed with the emphasis on pastel colors and dressy attire. I'd mention cute, furry animals as well, but that opens a can of worms about pagan roots on some of the celebration that I don't care to debate here.
In my thinking, Christmas should be the more feminine holiday and Easter should be the more masculine holiday. Christmas is about birth and potential. Easter is about violent death, death's defeat, and promises fulfilled. Mary is as much the symbol of Christmas as anyone because God used her humble spirit for His glory. Christ is the symbol of Holy Week because he showed what true humility and sacrifice was. Christmas is about love and commitment in new relationships (Mary and Joseph), and Easter is about what love costs in a mature relationship (Christ and the Church).
We all choose how to celebrate and contemplate the holiday, but there are also cultural expectations within the church regarding how the holiday should be observed. I wish you a great Good Friday and Easter as we all contemplate Christ's sacrifice and its implications on our lives. This is what I will be doing this weekend.
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1 comment:
I think Mel looked at it from a male perspective. In Spain the whole week is a holiday. HUge the pastels are just beginning to make an appearance. Pointy hatted repentants burning candles and carrying Jesus statues on the other hand seem to have a 500 year plus run on bunnies.
http://semanasanta2012.org/semana-santa-2012-en-espana
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