Download The Great Fifty Days of Easter: Year C

February 2016
Volume 2
Issue 2
TheGreatFiftyDaysofEaster:YearC
FromThePrayerBookGuidetoChristianEducation,3rdedition
bySharonElyPearson&RobynSzoke(2009:Morehouse)
Easterisafestivalseasonoffiftydayswhosefirstdayis
EasterDay,theSundayoftheResurrection,andwhose
lastdayistheDayofPentecost.Easterbeginsafter
sundownonHolySaturday.ThecelebrationofEasteris
initiatedwiththeEasterVigil,whichcanbeobserved
aftersundownbutideallyiskeptjustbeforesunrise,so
thattheproclamationofJesus'resurrectioncomeswiththedawnofthenewday.TheEaster
seasonincludestheeventsofChrist'sresurrectionandascensionandthecomingoftheHoly
SpiritontheDayofPentecost.
EasterDayistheprincipalfeastofthechurchyear.Theword"Easter"comesfromEostre,a
Teutonicgoddesswhosenameisassociatedwithspringtime,growth,andfertility.Inmost
languagesthenameofthedayisPascha,whichmeans"Passover."Theresurrectionmeansthat
Christhasovercomedeathandinhisvictoryhasopenedtouseverlastinglife.Nothingcan
separateusfromtheloveofGod(Romans8:38-39).TheLord'snewlifeinwhichweshareisthe
messageofthisseason.
Asthesacramentofnewlife,baptismisanEastertheme;asbaptizedChristianswetaketime
duringEastertoponderthemeaningofmembershipinChrist'sbody,thechurch.Welookat
eventsinthechurch'slife,thesacraments,theaccountsofresurrectionandthepost-resurrection
appearancesofJesustodiscovertheirmeaningandwhattheytellusabouthowweasa
communityaretolivethelifeoftheRisenLord.LikethetwowhowalkedtheEmmausroadwith
Jesus,wecanknowChristinthesharingofthewordandinthebreakingofbreadattheEucharist.
TheGreatFiftyDaysofEasterarethetimewhenthosewhohavereaffirmedtheirbaptismalvows
orhavebeenbaptizedattheEasterVigilreflectonthemeaningoftheirbaptism.Throughthe
lectionarytextstheyexplorethe"mysteries"oftheirfaith.Theearlychurchcalledthisperiodof
theprocessmystagogia.Todaythewholechurchentersintothisperiodofuncoveringanewthe
mysteriesoffaithexpressedinsacrament,word,andlifelivedforothers.Eachtimewecelebrate
theHolyEucharistusingEucharisticPrayerA,wesaythesewords:
Weproclaimthemysteryoffaith:
Christhasdied.Christisrisen.
Christwillcomeagain.(BCP363)
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February 2016
Volume 2
Issue 2
SymbolsandTraditionsofEaster
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Color:whiteforfestivalandjoy.
Thepaschalcandle:thedarknessofdeathgivingwaytolightandlife,symbolizingJesus'
passingoverfromdeathintolife.AlsosymbolizesthelightofCreation,thepillaroffirethatled
theIsraelitesthroughthewilderness,thefireofPentecost.PaschaisGreekfor"Passover."The
paschalcandleislitfromEasterthroughtheDayofPentecost.Theyear'sdateiscarvedinto
thecandletoshowthattheGoodNewsofEasterisforeveryage,includingtoday.
TheExsultetisasongofpraiseandjoysungatthelightingofthepaschalcandleatthe
beginningoftheEasterVigil(BCP286).
TheEasterVigilcapturesallofthepowerfulstoryimageryofEaster,whichiswhythisservice
issoimportantinthelifeofthecongregation.Inplanningthevigil,keepchildrenaswellas
adultsinmind.Storytellerscanofferthereadings(asfewastwoorasmanyasnine)
dramatically.Havethecongregationmovefromaplaceofsharingthegreatstoriesofthefaith
toanotherplaceforbaptism,andfinallytotheHolyTablefortheproclamationofthe
resurrectionandthecelebrationoftheHolyEucharist.
AcustomaryEastergreetingthatChristianshaveusedforcenturies:
Leader:"Alleluia!Christisrisen!
Response:"TheLordisrisenindeed!Alleluia!"
Baptismsandconfirmationshavetraditionallyoccurredinthisseasonofinitiation.Ideally
thesesacramentstakeplaceattheGreatVigilofEaster.
Feasting:breakingthefastofLentwithafeastisasignofcelebrationandsymbolizesthejoyof
theChristiancommunityatEaster.
Theemptycross:asignofthevictoryofEaster.
AlleluiasandtheGloria:joyfulacclamationsfromtheEaster
community.
Butterfly:symbolizesresurrectionornewlifefromacocoon.
Egg:theEastersymbolfromwhichnewlifeemerges.
Pomegranate:aregalsymbol,filledwithredseedsthatfurther
symbolizelifeandfertilityandtheopentomb.
Earofcorn:asitburstsopenweseethefertilenewlifewithin.
Easterlily:symbolofpurityandofbeautifulnewlife.
EachSundayisa"littleEaster,"remindingusasChristiansoftheresurrection,sinceitwason
thefirstdayoftheweekthatJesusrosefromthedead.Thejoyofeachweeklyremembranceof
theresurrectionisalwaysmaintained,evenduringpenitentialseasons.
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OverallThemesastheGreatFiftyDaysUnfold
Theroleofthechurchistocontinuetheproclamationofthe
resurrectionexpressedwithsuchjoyatthatfirstEaster.Wehear
theproclamationoftheresurrectioninordertopassontheGood
News.
• Inasense,Christroseagainwithinthechurch.ThroughtheHoly
Spirit,therisenChristisrevealedineverynewgeneration.The
apostlesfoundthemselvesfilledwiththepowertocontinuethe
actsofJesusthatrevealedGod'spresence.
• TheGreatFiftyDaystraditionallywereatimewhenthe
mysteriesofthefaithwererevealedtotherecentlybaptized.The
meaningofallthatthecandidatesexperiencedinHolyWeekand
theEasterVigilunfoldsinthistimeofintensetheologicalreflectiononjustwhatitmeansto
liveasacovenantpeople.
• Forcongregationsinvolvedinthecatechumenal
Idea:
process,thisisatimeofreflectiononbaptism."What
Plantgrassseedinpapercupson
differencedoesmybaptismmake?"asktherecently
PalmSunday.Spritswithwaterand
baptizedastheygatherwithpriest,catechist,sponsor,
sealinabaggie.OnEaster,seethe
andthosewhohavereaffirmedtheirBaptismal
newshootsandsing,Hymn204
Covenant.
“Nowthegreenbladeriseth”(John
• Aquestiontoaskeachweek:Howdoweknowthe
MacleodCampbellCrum;Music:Noël risenChristtoday?
nouvelet)
InYearCwereadselectionsfromtheActsofthe
ApostlesforthesixweeksofEasterfollowingEasterSundaybecauseweneedtohearthestoryof
thefirst-centurychurchinordertounderstandourmissionintheworldtoday.(Selectionsfrom
theHebrewScripturesareprovidedasalternativesinallthreeyears.WhentheHebrew
Scripturesareused,theyreplaceeithertheselectionfromActsortheselectionfromtheepistle).
FortheepistlelectionsinYearCwereadselectionsfromthe
Idea:
RevelationtoJohn,providingglimpsesofGod’scomingreign,
Designaniconofthe
whenChrist’sworkofreconciliationisfullyrealized.
ResurrectionortheEaster
Season,usingthereadings
Eachweek’stheme:
andsymbolsoftheseason.
• EasterSunday–TheResurrectionofJesustheChristis
TheaboveiconisbyTodor
proclaimed.
Mitrovic.
• The2ndSundayofEaster–KnowingtheRisenChrist
throughfaith.
• The3rdSundayofEaster–KnowingChristinsacramentallife.
• The4thSundayofEaster–MinistryasawayofrevealingtherisenChrist,Jesus,theGood
Shepherd,whogiveseternallife.
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Volume 2
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The5tSundayofEaster–Thenewcommunityformedoutoftheresurrectionwillbeknown
bytheloveitsmembershaveforoneanother.
The6tSundayofEaster–Thenewcommunityformedoutoftheresurrectioncontinueswith
thepromisetheHolySpirit.
The7thSundayofEaster–Theunityofthechurch,witnessingtothepresenceofGodintheir
lives.
EasterThroughtheEyesofaChild
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Jesusisrisenfromthedead!Easterhasbroughtus
everlastinglifebecauseofJesus'resurrection.The
Alleluiasaresaidandsung,
God'sloveisstrongerthananything,evendeath.
BecauseofGod'slove,wedonothavetobeafraidof
death.
Easterisaboutnewlife,comingfromwhatwethought
wasdeathandbringingunexpectedpossibilitiesand
surprises.Eastereggs,Easterchicks,Easterflowersall
remindusofthenewlifeinChrist.
Wereceivednewlifeatourbaptism,andduringEaster
wethinkaboutwhatthatbaptismmeansinourlives.
Reflectwiththechildrenonthewayswekeepour
baptismalpromises:
o Howdowekeepthepromiseswemake?
o HowdoweshowourloveforGod?
o Howdoweshowloveforeachother?
Idea:
Makeanalleluiabannerforthe
table,andtalkaboutwhyJesus'
resurrectionwouldmakeusso
happy.Takeawalkandlookat
allthenewlifeyoubegintospot
duringthewalk.Readstoriesof
transformationandnewlife,
suchasTheVeryHungry
CaterpillarbyEricCarle.Name
thebaptismalpromisesand
reflectonthemwithpicturesof
howyouliveeachofthemout
withyourfamilyandfriends,at
homeandatschool.
EasterThroughtheEyesofYouth
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AsthetestimoniesofMaryandthedisciplesledmanytobelieve,sothetestimonyorwitness
ofteensastoChristintheirlivescanaffectothers.
ThisisthetimetoencourageyouthtoEasterreflectionandaction.Reflectupontheindividual
baptismalpromisesfoundintheEasterVigilservice,andinvitetheyouthtorespondtonew
waysthattheycanservewithinthecongregation:
Go:“WheredoesGodneedustogoinschool,inourneighborhood,
townandbeyond?”
Idea:
Visit:“Whoarethefriendless,lonely,outcastpeopleinourlives
DelivertheEaster
andhowdoweconnectwiththem?”
flowersthatadornthe
Listen:“Whoarethepeoplethatnoonepaysattentionto?”
Sanctuarytothose
Care:“Why,God,areyourpeoplesuffering?”
whoarehomebound
Ask:“Whatcanwedoforneedypeoplenearandfar?”
orinthehospital.
Pray:“God,openoureyesandearsandhearts.Whowillhelpus
toliveforothers?”
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Invite:“Whowillgowithus?Whichadultsandteenscanweinvitetofollow,toencounterand
tobecomeChristtoday?”
EasterThroughtheEyesofDailyLife
OnthisdaytheLordhasacted!OnthefirstdayoftheweekGodbegancreation,transforming
darknessintolight.Onthis,the“eighthday”oftheweek,JesusChristwasraisedfromthedead.
Wecelebratethisnewcreationinthewatersofbaptismandinthefeastofvictory.Reflectonyour
baptismandhowyouliveoutthepromisesineveryfacetofyourlife.Throughoutthisseasonwe
hearstoriesofthemenandwomenwhorecognizedwhoJesusreallyis,afterfailingtodoso
duringhisearthlylife.WeareenlightenedbytheirvisionsandtheirvisitswiththeRisenChristas
theyproclaimthatourLordisaliveandislifefortheworld.Aswebeginthegreatfiftydaysof
Easterfilledwithhopeandjoy,bepreparedtogoforthtosharethenewsthatChristisrisen!
EasterThroughtheEyesofOurGlobalCommunity
TheCollectsforEasterpetitionthelivingpowerofJesustoopenupnewlifetoall.Ourprayers
andactioncanreflectGod’sdesireofreconciliationforall.DuringtheEasterseason,direct
attentionisplacedinprayertoalleviatetheextremepovertyoftheworld.TheChristcenterednessoftheMillenniumDevelopmentGoals(MDGs)isanexampleofhowmakinga
commitmenttoothersisacommitmenttoJesus(John10:10).Forthesakeofthepoorand
sufferingoftheworld,ourconversion(turningourlivesaround)attheindividual,congregational,
diocesan,national,andgloballevelscanmakeadifference(Luke18:18-23).FocusononeMDGfor
thewholeliturgicalcyclesothatduringtheEasterseason,aparticulargeographicareacanbe
chosentolearnaboutthepeople,worship,andneedinthatareaoftheworldordomestically.The
EasterseasoncanbeatimetobuilddirectrelationshipswithanotherlocationintheAnglican
Communion.Enterintomissionwithanother,tohelpalleviateextremepoverty.
Idea:
Expandonthe“BreakfastwithJesus”storyandprepareEasterbreakfastforahomelessshelter
orfooddistributioncenteronalltheSundaysoftheEasterSeason.Breakfastcanoftenbebleak
anduninspiredintheseplaces,andwonderfulpastries,homemadecoffeecakesandbreakfast
breadscanbearealtreat.Invitefamiliestoprepareanddelivertheirdeliciousbreakfast
goodiesinperson,orgatherateamtoactuallyservethoseinneed.Foratwist,gatherup
“breakfastbags”inlunchsacksandvisityourlocalparkorareawherethehomelesscanbe
found.Sharethegoodnewsalongittheformofagoodbreakfast.
OGod,whoseblessedSonmadehimselfknowntohisdisciplesinthebreakingofthebread:Open
theeyesofourfaith,thatwemaybeholdhiminallhisredeemingwork;wholivesandreignswith
you,intheunityoftheHolySpirit,oneGod,nowandforever.Amen.
CollectforWednesdayinEasterWeek(BCP223)
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