From Palm Crosses to the Cross: My Easter Reflection
If I’m being honest, Easter in past years has been special but I’ve never taken the time to really reflect on the beauty of the season. Christmas for instance is quite festive and gifts are involved, but Easter was different, I guess because growing up I didn't really celebrate it like we do Christmas… Actually that’s not entirely true. I do have one fond memory growing up in a Catholic home, tying palm leaves into a cross and participating in the church procession. Did anyone else experience that?
Now, as a follower of Christ, I yearn for a deeper connection with this pivotal season. While joyful family gatherings and the laughter of Easter egg hunts have marked past years, a profound shift is taking place within me. Emerging from a personal "winter season," I grasp the magnitude of Jesus' sacrifice with a newfound clarity. My own struggles pale in comparison to the brutal path He walked, yet it is precisely through His suffering that His love becomes so incandescently precious. I don’t take it for granted.
He endured the unbearable – the cross, the beatings, the mockery – for all of us. Imagine the crushing weight of that journey, yet He pressed on, anchored by the promise of resurrection. Each one of us, in our unique and flawed beauty, was worth that agony to Him. As I write this, tears well up, a natural response to the immeasurable love that compelled Him to such a sacrifice. My heart aches for those who haven't yet encountered the transformative power of His grace. If that’s you right now I pray you would consider welcoming Jesus into your heart.
This year, my preparation for Easter has been different. A deliberate fast, a quiet drawing near to Him as His daughter. He is my heavenly Father, my saviour, the unwavering comfort in solitude, the healer of my deepest wounds, the daily sustenance, the steadfast anchor of my soul.
My prayer this Easter is that every heart would glimpse Him with more clarity, for He is the ultimate gift – life abundant, purchased at the highest cost. To bring glory to His name, I choose gratitude, and a radiant smile embracing each coming day, a conscious effort to cherish every moment and every person He has placed in my life.
Know this: you are seen, you are cherished, you are a unique spark of light ignited by the Creator Himself. Let that light shine brightly for Jesus. Guard your joy fiercely; it was dearly bought. This Easter, may we all become reflections of Christ's boundless love, extending grace to those who are different, embracing those who are difficult to love, and welcoming those the world often rejects.
As I leave you, let these timeless words resonate within your hearts:
The Greatest Commandment
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
How will I celebrate this profound truth? With unbridled joy and deep gratitude for this day and all the days to come, knowing He is ever-present, never to leave nor forsake us. And yes, I eagerly anticipate gathering with family after church, sharing a meal seasoned with the richness of His love, and enjoying a little easter egg hunt :)