The Death Holiday...

three points to my friend nicole!! she used the word frolick when commenting on my blog which was in response to my comment on her blog...read my comment here... and her responding comment here ...

any ways on to the point of todays post ...

Holiday - a rather strange term if you think about it. It's a 'day of rest' a day where you don't go to work. Originally the sabbath was the day off and then the Israelite people had other feasts and festivals they celebrated. The pass over for example when they remember the angel of death passing over (that's where they get the name of the festival from) the Israelites when killing all the first born children in Egypt. Or the festival of tents where they spend a week not living in their houses to remember the time they spent in the wilderness. In our culture we have many holidays some are seemingly pointless and do nothing but give us a day off or time and a half if we work. Others are a time to be with family and friends. Others are to remember the birth of our Savior or give presents and sit on the lap of a large man dressed in red and white with a beard. The only reason Santa is red and white is coca-cola for your information. Santa also has roots to the Norse god Thor who drove around in a chariot driven by goats...but I digress.

Easter is another holiday we celebrate every year in April(ish) My family always had an Easter egg hunt and would be finding chocolate eggs all over the house for weeks on end afterwards. Then there was the Easter bunny which according to Wikipedia (yes, I looked up 'wikipedia' on wikipedia) left gift baskets lying around in the spring time. I never understood the connection between a rabbit and eggs because when i learned about animals in grade school I remember being told that rabbits and Bunny's were mammals and didn't lay eggs!

Easter for Christians is a time where we celebrate death if you think about it especially the Friday. We gather around and remember, sometimes reenact what happened to Jesus so many years ago. He was crucified. We believe he died for our sins and restored us into a right relationship with God the Father again. On the Sunday we celebrate his coming to live again. but on the Friday which is considered a holiday we remember the death part of it. I can remember several Easter Friday services where Jesus coming back to life wasn't mentioned at all. I don't want to debate whether that was good or bad but the point is that on that day we took time to remember the incredible suffering that Jesus went through for us. I wanted to take a minute or two to reflect on Easter as 'the death holiday'(that's where they get the name of the post from). Even though you were probably waiting for me to talk about how much I hate valentines day, I hope you can remember all that Jesus did for us even if its no where near Easter. Here's the story from Matthew 27 32-50 from a handy website (biblegateway.com)

32As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). 34There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.[b] 36And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads 40and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"
41In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. 42"He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' " 44In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
The Death of Jesus 45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi,[c] lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"[d]
47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."
48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.