Easter... what is it about, anyway?




Easter is the most significant reality in history. Without a doubt. It is the reality of Easter that propels our lives and decisions, especially our decision to go to Tanzania.

This may seem bizarre, especially since most associations with Easter include chocolate bunnies (which, I must add, I am TOTALLY in favor of... and peeps, too) and new Easter dresses.

Of course I am referring to the reality of the resurrection, perhaps the best-known and least-lived story the world has ever known. The resurrection that turns history, life, truth, upside-down, scandalizes our intellect, intrigues our imagination, and stirs our inner sense of hope.

We can embrace it, ignore it, redefine it (the Judas Gospel, which I will write about later), but the questions it raises--and answers--must somehow be addressed.

Some of these questions include:

Is there life after death? (can you imagine a more significant question?)

What does that life look like? How do we attain it?

What is the greater power in our world, rule and violence, or self-sacrifice and love?



Easter is a remembrance of the one person who has fully lived according to God's ideals, truly loved all he encountered, and emptied himself that others may be filled. We go to Tanzania to invite people into an Easter community, a worldwide body of people who answer the most important questions of life through the story of death followed by birth, pain followed by healing, fear followed by faith, subjection followed by freedom. May we learn to live these truths.