Easter Should Be a Month-Long Celebration--At Least!
Before I converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I went to the Catholic Church. While I obviously had some disagreements with Catholic doctrine, I loved--LOVED--the pageantry they made of Easter. To this day, I practice Lent and find it does remind me of the Savior's sacrifice a great deal.
So, to get to the point of this blog, I miss my Catholic Easter celebrations. I realize there may be a bit too much spectacle. They cover all their effigies with purple cloth. The LDS Church doesn't have effigies to cover up (and I don't miss the bloody Christ on the cross AT ALL--just fyi.) But Lent, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, all of that? Yes, I miss it. I miss it very much.
See, the thing is, we Mormons don't even believe Christ was born on December 25th. We believe that since there were lambs in the field, it had to have been Spring and that makes a lot more sense. But we Mormons still really DO Christmas. All the temples are decorated with a creche in the front. (I know because we went to four temples last December and they all had the same lovely creche.) Salt Lake Temple Square is ablaze with lights, performing groups, tons of Christmas celebrating.
In the April 2007 General Conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: Now, the next thing of which I am certain, and of which I bear witness, is the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without it life is meaningless. It is the keystone in the arch of our existence. It affirms that we lived before we were born in mortality. Mortality is but a stepping-stone to a more glorious existence in the future. The sorrow of death is softened with the promise of the Resurrection. There would be no Christmas if there were no Easter.
So, stick with me a little bit here. If Easter is the reason for Christmas, why isn't Easter made a bigger thing? For the entire month of December, yea, since the day after Thanksgiving, we've got Christmas all over the place. But you can't hear an Easter song until That Very Sunday. I Googled LDS Easter music and this is the list that showed up: He is Risen, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, That Easter Morn, O Savior Thou Who Wearest A Crown. And there are four or five Primary songs. Toss in a few about Spring or the Resurrection and we have a whole month full of Easter singing. Why isn't this standard procedure?
I will say, the Church has had some truly inspiring, inspired, beautiful, touching Easter video campaigns that are amazing. This year's, The Prince of Peace, is just lovely. I appreciate this aspect of my Church a great deal.
But the no Month o' Easter Hymns thing? Not okay.
Rant over.
So, to get to the point of this blog, I miss my Catholic Easter celebrations. I realize there may be a bit too much spectacle. They cover all their effigies with purple cloth. The LDS Church doesn't have effigies to cover up (and I don't miss the bloody Christ on the cross AT ALL--just fyi.) But Lent, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, all of that? Yes, I miss it. I miss it very much.
See, the thing is, we Mormons don't even believe Christ was born on December 25th. We believe that since there were lambs in the field, it had to have been Spring and that makes a lot more sense. But we Mormons still really DO Christmas. All the temples are decorated with a creche in the front. (I know because we went to four temples last December and they all had the same lovely creche.) Salt Lake Temple Square is ablaze with lights, performing groups, tons of Christmas celebrating.
In the April 2007 General Conference, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: Now, the next thing of which I am certain, and of which I bear witness, is the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Without it life is meaningless. It is the keystone in the arch of our existence. It affirms that we lived before we were born in mortality. Mortality is but a stepping-stone to a more glorious existence in the future. The sorrow of death is softened with the promise of the Resurrection. There would be no Christmas if there were no Easter.
So, stick with me a little bit here. If Easter is the reason for Christmas, why isn't Easter made a bigger thing? For the entire month of December, yea, since the day after Thanksgiving, we've got Christmas all over the place. But you can't hear an Easter song until That Very Sunday. I Googled LDS Easter music and this is the list that showed up: He is Risen, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, That Easter Morn, O Savior Thou Who Wearest A Crown. And there are four or five Primary songs. Toss in a few about Spring or the Resurrection and we have a whole month full of Easter singing. Why isn't this standard procedure?
I will say, the Church has had some truly inspiring, inspired, beautiful, touching Easter video campaigns that are amazing. This year's, The Prince of Peace, is just lovely. I appreciate this aspect of my Church a great deal.
But the no Month o' Easter Hymns thing? Not okay.
Rant over.
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