Easter 2026

It's Easter.  THE holiest of days for Christians.  While I realize that this is a NOT a Christian nation (and too many people seem to have forgotten that), it is an important day for many.  Even those who do not observe/celebrate recognize that.  I have friends of different faiths as well as those who do not identify with any form of religion and all of them support, recognize and honor each other's beliefs.  And that is how it should be.  We should wish our Jewish siblings a Happy Passover.  (Because Passover is an important part of the Easter story.)  We should wish our Muslim siblings a Blessed Ramadan.  Dare I say that doing so and acknowledging each other's beliefs is the Christian thing to do?

On this cold(ish) and rainy Easter morning, I got up and dressed in my Easter attire (which originally had been my Palm Sunday attire, but it was way too cold for it last Sunday) and (sadly) put on my tights and pumps (I really wanted to show off my new pedicure, but...) and headed to the early service at church.  Parish Hall was being decorated for the occasion.  (It was beautiful.)  The service itself was quiet and reflective, but just right for me.  

I did not stay for the 2nd service (as I said I might) because the one thing that "bothers" me at Easter are the flowers.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE the tulips and the daffodils, but the lilies and especially the hyacinths send my allergies into high gear.  (In the past, when my son was little, the two of us would take allergy medication BEFORE going to church...let this be a reminder to me for next year.)  I headed home where I had coffee and cinnamon rolls with my husband before throwing some lamb (not a leg, which go for an incredible amount of money, or a shank but a bone shoulder chop which was what I could find) into the slow cooker for dinner.  (Have no idea what hubby is going to eat...he's not a lamb guy.  My son and I are a different story.)

Speaking of my son, for the 3rd year, we are celebrating apart.  Since he goes to school in NY, he and his suitemates head into the city proper and participate in the Easter parade.  Yes, it's still a thing!  Although these days it's less of a formal thing and more of an outrageous thing.  However, my son is VERY formal.  He has his top hat, tails, bow tie, gloves and (even though I can't see them in the photo he shared I know they are there) spats.  He IS elegance.

Midday, after watching my "home" church's service on line (because it's NOT Easter unless you hear/sing "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today"), I broke Lent and had a glass of wine (okay, I may have "cheated" a bit during Lent on this one) AND my first taste of chocolate in over 40 days (because on that front I don't break for Sundays).  There is nothing like a Russell Stover milk chocolate bunny!  (And oh how I miss the jelly beans they used to make but have disappeared, breaking my heart.  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2023/04/the-mysterious-missing-beans.html)

Even though it is rainy, I am feeling the joy of the day.  And then I see this message on social media from the President, who is supposedly a Christian (although again, I know that church and state should have nothing to do with each other) which says:  

 I realize there is a war (which was not authorized by Congress) or whatever you want to call it going on in Iran, but to post this on THIS day?  This day is supposed to be a day of joy and celebration of the resurrection of Jesus.  And instead this man has chosen to desecrate it.  It's NOT Christian and it's NOT Presidential.  It's shameful.

 And so on this day which means so much too so many, has been tainted by the man who "leads" our country.

 However, I will NOT allow the rantings of a warmonger to mar this day for me.  While our "president" has sunk to a new low, Christ has Risen.  We are confronted with hatred, but I will chose love.  For as it says in John (10:10):  "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."  I chose not to follow the thief, but the one who taught and reminds me of this:  

  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

Am I righteous?  Maybe?  Maybe not.  But I know what path I have decided to take.  Which one will you follow?