Eastertide

Eastertide, the 50 day period in the church year that goes from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday.  It sort of works out like the 12 days of Christmas in that the holiday is not to be celebrated just the one time.  What are the differences?  Well for one, the 12 days of Christmas are just under 2 weeks long and the Eastertide Season is over almost 2 months long.  What are the similarities?  The only day the church will be packed is the day of the holiday.

Not shocking.  But I think one of the important things to do this Eastertide is every Lord's Day or whenever you get the chance to exclaim with gushing pride to fellow Christians that "He is risen!"  Because Jesus did not just rise on Sunday and ride outta town, no He rose on Sunday and remained with the people walking about and spreading the Good News of Great Joy that was proclaimed at His birth by the angels in the field to the shepherd's. 

Eventually Jesus does "leave town" but His mission is just beginning in a sense.  Because at Pentecost is when the turn around happens for the disciples and apostles of Christ.  No longer are they timid little people, but are transformed by the Holy Spirit into an unstoppable force as they make up and build up the church.  Yet it is not they that do the making and the building but Jesus Christ Himself the chief cornerstone who uses them to make up and build up.   See even when Jesus is gone, He is here.  Jesus sends His Holy Spirit to give us faith and the confidence to defend the faith.  So although we ought to proclaim "He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!" everyday of every week of every month of every year, let's start with these 50 days between Easter and Pentecost.  

Joyously proclaim to all that Christ is risen and has conquered death and the grave.  Easter does not end after dinner on Sunday, it continues throughout.  "Thank the Lord and sing His praise, tell everyone what He has done..."