Happy Easter

Strange how eggs like the one pictured above are the recognized symbol for this Holiday. We boil them and paint them and then hide them and send our children out to find them. It doesn't at all seem to have any Christian meaning. On Wikipedia I read that the eggs are considered a symbol of life and fertility. I guess that would make them a good symbol for the resurrected Christ. In Greece they are said to paint the eggs crimson to remind them of the blood of Christ, again this is a good reminder of the reason for celebrating the day.

Much about the Holiday is borrowed from secular sources. Take the name of the Holiday, Easter. It was actually a pagan holiday celebrated by the Saxons. They held a holiday to celebrate spring and new life. The actual name of the day in the Bible translates to the word Passover. This makes more sense for a holiday name since that is when Christ was crucified.

In my view, it is not bad to borrow names from other areas as long as you remember what is behind them. I believe the early church probably borrowed alot from the local customs. By changing pagan holidays into Christian ones they were more likely appeal to the local populations. The dangers lie in many people actually forgetting why the day is celebrated. When the focus becomes the traditions rather than the meaning behind them the Holiday loses its meaning and become just another reason to shop , and over indulge.