In secular
view, Easter is a fertility festival. When it is connected with the Church, it
has other dimensions. In church it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ
defeating death and hell. For humanity,
it is the resurrection of hope.
The concept
of sacrifice, burial of the dead and resurrection is the basis of fertility
festivals. Every social group that has a history back to a pre historic time
has a myth concerning this festival.
Egyptian
life was always depended on the River Nile. So they worshiped the river as god.
The river gets dry for a certain period of days every year leaving the land
unfertile. By the end of each dry period they hear the croak of frogs in the
river signaling the coming of rain. This is the time for them to sacrifice
their priest. A priest was selected every year to serve the community for a
period and sacrifice himself for the people before the first rain. The priest
was tied to a tree and killed by arrows. It was a willing death for the
fertility of the people and the land. The tree is covered with the blood of the
priest. His dead body and the blood covered tree were buried in the middle of
the river Nile covered with seeds and then mud. Then came the first rain and
red water. After two or three days the seeds germinate sprouting new plants,
new hopes and signaling fertility.
In our
state, we have another fertility story. It is believed that a benevolent king
ruled the Kerala State (India). There was prosperity throughout his reign. He purged
his country from liars and lies, murders and murder and poor and poverty. But
gods were jealous at his fame and rule. So one god appeared before him with a
request for three foot of land for meditation.
The generous king granted the wish. Suddenly the god grew into a huge size
and measured the earth and Hades with two foot. Since there was no other place
to offer for the third feet the king offered his head. The god put his feet on
the head of the king and pushed him down to Hades. But the king was granted
with one wish to return back to his country to see his citizens once in every
year. This time, after the harvest every year is celebrated as ‘Onam”, the
fertility festival of the State.
What I was
telling so far is that fertility festivals were celebrated from ancient times.
Every fertility festival has a myth behind it.
Is Easter
such a fertility festival? Many may consider it as another fertility festival.
But,
personally I prefer to think differently.
Easter
also has some elements of fertility festival. Easter too speak of sacrifice,
burial and resurrection. No resurrection without death and burial. That is a
wonderful message. Death of the old and burial of it will be followed by
resurrection.
Ester
speaks of hope to everyone in this world. It is not a local story of death and
resurrection. It is not a myth from a pre historic time. It is definitely
placed in the history. This happening has been resurrecting many dead hopes. This
truth has been changing millions of people.
While all
other fertility festivals are local and short lived Easter in universal and is
not time bound. Anybody on any day can celebrate Easter, if it is his
resurrection day. It is not a festival of any particular religion. It is the
festival of all those who are in distress. For it says on every morning to all
frustrated souls, ‘this is your resurrection day, this is your Easter’.
Easter is
hope. Jesus was rejected, killed and buried. His dead body had a guard by the
Roman Empire. It seemed that the whole world did not want the resurrection happen.
Rejection, death, burial and guard. But Jesus did resurrect. Nothing could stop
Him.
Friends,
believe me, nothing can stop you from a resurrection. There is still hope even
when all others shout ‘No Hope!’
Was Jesus
died for any local people? No. Was Jesus resurrected for any local people? No.
Are you in
rejection? Do not worry. A day of resurrection is at hand.
Are you in
distress, loss, frustration and despair? A day of resurrection is near.
Has every
one of your friends and relatives forgotten you? Your resurrection has arrived.
There is
no other myth or historical event that assures you the resurrection of hope
like Easter. It is not a festival to celebrate;
it is an experience to go through.
Happy Easter!
Professor Jacob Abraham
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