As Christ journeyed in the wilderness for 40 days, which we observe approaching Holy Week (excluding Sundays), Eastertide is a similar 40 day observance (in western Christian traditions), celebrating Christ’s resurrected presence amongst the still stunned, loving and enthusiastic disciples. Eastertide ends with Ascension Sunday, which is then followed by Pentecost.
We know of several Eastertide customs, though we often think of them as solely customs for Easter Sunday, itself. The donning of Easter bonnets by women, flowering of the cross, services at sunrise, decorating of blown eggs, filling the chancel with Easter Lillies, watching Easter parades, and greeting members of the faith community with the Paschal Greeting— “Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed!”—were all traditions embraced across the world to span these 40 (or 50 in the Eastern Traditions) days of celebration. One particular tradition that is lesser known to us in the Western church, holds particular poignancy in relation to Christ’s directions given to that tight-knit community that surrounded him—to go and make disciples (Mt 28:18-20; Mk 16:15) to care for Christ’s sheep (John 21)—is one that begins outside of the church. The faith community surrounds the building looking toward it while holding hands. And while in prayer, the faith community releases their hands from one another and turn their bodies around. This may be followed by a dance around the building circling left, then right. All the while, the members of the surrounding communities engaged in ministry with the church community are looking on and eventually join in the dancing. They cheer at the moment the congregation turns outward, welcoming the partnership of the faithful of the parish. Dancing is, sometimes followed by a sermon inside the church, always one or both are followed by a feast of all of the gathered. This celebration is called Clipping the church.
When those forty days were over, Luke tells us at the end of his gospel, Jesus led his followers out to Bethany, blessed them, and left them. For them this was not a parting or a loss, or a saddening experience. On the contrary; as Jesus withdrew from their sight” they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy (Lk 24:50-52), for there they were to await the promised power of the Spirit. With the coming of the Holy Spirit of Christ on the apostles the age of Christ’s teaching—The Way—was about to begin, and he had promised, Matthew tells us (28:20), to be ”with“ them until the end of the age.1 Christ partnered with his disciples to make this possible, he provided them with the necessary awareness, helped them shift their perspective on their Holy Scriptures, showed them how to live genuinely according to their faith. Christ taught them to be present on the margins and to join in unity with those oppressed. Their mission, their vision for life, was in and of the people, inviting them along as the embraced The Way, as they each sought to live with God’s presence reflected in, through, and from them.
We journey through Eastertide, to embrace the mystery and miracle of Christ’s resurrection and the power of our calling as Christ’s disciples to live The Way with every breath we take. Our way is the world, the altar of God and Christ is the establishment of the Kin-dom/Kingdom here and now, living our faith is acting our faith. Thus, Eastertide, the approach to Pentecost, is a season of recommitment to engagement in acts that testify to the goodness, mercy, compassion, and love of God in every one of our lives. We turn outwards, open the doors, ready ourselves to be bearers of the Good News!
- On God being ‘with’ us, see my Thinking Faith article, God with us (12 August 2009).