Easter

I walked into church this morning and said "Happy Easter" to one of the Khmer guys at my church. He said, "What is Easter?" I said, "It's the day we celebrate that Christ rose from the dead." He said, "Oh, okay. Thank you for telling me."

This guy is a Christian, and has been for maybe a year. In Cambodia, Easter isn't a big holiday, with sales and candy and eggs. No rabbits, no baskets, and no big meals. It's strange to feel like it's just another Sunday-- in fact, I've made dinner plans to have pho (a Vietnamese soup) tonight with friends; not exactly traditional Easter dinner (but oh so good).

Today I'm thinking about what it means to celebrate Easter only once a year, and why this young believer was probably confused-- for him, every day is a day to remember Christ's sacrifice. Tomorrow is no less of an Easter than today is. And in a place like Cambodia, with monks chanting in the background and spirit houses with burning incense outside, it's good to remember that Easter is not just for today.

A friend has pointed out that a culture built around festivals, like the Cambodian culture, should perhaps be encouraged in celebrating a day like Easter. It provides a solid foundation, a focal point for our faith. Given that I am surrounded by other festivals I can't celebrate, maybe she is right. So now I'm not sure. Maybe it isn't one or the other, but something in between. Having a focal point for our beliefs, while renewing them each day. Easter becomes a signpost on the journey, declaring that we are ever in transit toward our goal of being more like God, celebrating our victory over death and our process toward life eternal.