Today is Easter Sunday, the Feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  So why is it called Easter?

When Christians were converting the people of Northern Europe and England, they noticed that that their celebration of the Resurrection came at the same time as the festival of Eoster (pronounced, “Oster”).  She was considered the goddess of Spring. 

In April, the rebirth of life was celebrated in her honor.  Seeing the similarity to their own celebration of new life, the Christians took the name of the pagan festival.  But instead of celebrating the cycle of the seasons, the Church used this once pagan festival to call attention to Jesus, who rose not to die again, but who lives forever.

It is good and natural to look for signs of hope and new life in our Easter traditions: the eggs symbolizing new life; the bright dresses that reflect the many colors of the Spring flowers.

But the Resurrection of Jesus Christ points to something even more radical: a transformation of the cycle of life and death in which now live.  Jesus has broken that cycle.  And he is only what Paul calls “the first-fruits.”  All of us who trust in Jesus Christ are bound for the same resurrection.  It’s great news, the best possible news.  Or is it?

The Gospel of Mark reports that three of Jesus’ disciples, all women, went to his tomb “very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen.”  But when they got there, “they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 

“And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.  And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here.  But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”

What wonderful news!  But rather than rejoicing, the women “went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.”

Yes, Jesus is risen.  But the “young man” reminds them that first, Jesus was crucified.  There is no resurrection without crucifixion, for Jesus, for the women, or for us.  Easter Sunday is a glorious day of celebration.  But the day after, and the day after that, the burdens of our life still remain.

The promise of Easter is that we need not drown in those burdens.  We can endure them, confident that on the other side is the hope of new life that the Risen Jesus has waiting for us.

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