Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM MARCH 31-APRIL 6, 2021 UCW 15 Easter is the most significant date on the calendar for Christians across the globe. A celebration of the belief in the resurrec- tion of Jesus Christ, Easter ser ves as the foundation of the Christian faith. So it's no surprise that a day as significant as Easter is steeped in such incredible tradition. Explaining Holy Week Know n as Holy Week, the week prece- ding Easter begins w ith Palm Sunday and ends w ith Holy Saturday, the day prece- ding Easter Sunday. Holy Week commemo- rates different events that unfolded over the final days of Jesus Christ's life. According to Catholic Online, Palm Sunday celebrates the entr y of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. On the day of Christ's entr y into Jerusalem, residents laid palms before him, which is why palms are dis- tributed to the Christian faithful each year during Palm Sunday Mass. Palms are blessed at Mass, and many Christians turn their palms into crosses upon arri- v ing home. The palms are eventually returned to the church, where they are burned, and the ashes of the palms are then used during the follow ing year's Ash Wednesday ser v ices. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated the Passover feast w ith his disciples. In the stor y of Jesus Christ, the night of the Last Supper was the same night that Jesus was betrayed by his disciple, Judas. Good Friday commemorates the trial, punishment and crucifix ion of Christ. Though the official presiding over the trial of Jesus, Pontius Pilate, found no ev idence of Jesus' guilt in relation to the charges filed against him, he ultimately agreed to Christ's crucifix ion any way in an effort to appease the crowd and avoid a riot. As a result, Christ was stripped, f logged and crow ned w ith thorns before being made to carr y his cross through the streets to the place where he was ultimately crucified. On Good Friday, the tabernacle inside Catholic churches is left empt y to symboli- ze that Christ is departed. The final day of Holy Week, Holy Saturday, is a day to remember that Christ descended into hell, where he preached the gospel and opened the way to heaven. What is the "good news"? The term "good news" is often used by Christians in reference to their faith. Good news is at the heart of Christianit y, and it has both symbolic and literal meaning in reference to the New Testament. According to the online biblical reference Bible Odyssey, "good news" is the literal transla- tion of the Greek word "euangelion." It also can be interchanged w ith gospel, which is "good spiel" or "godspel," which means good news. New Testament authors offer that the good news means the salvation and libera- tion from sin and estrangement from God. The Apostle Paul summarized the gos- pel, and in turn the good news, in this way: Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Other w ise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. Christians believe Christ's death symbo- lizes the ultimate sacrifice and paved the way for Jesus' resurrection. The death and resurrection — prov ing that there would be life after death for the faithful — beca- me the core tenet of the Christian faith. Ever yone who accepts the gospel and has faith in God w ill receive salvation in the Kingdom of Heaven. Easter highlights the good news in its most potent form. Easter celebrations in the era of social distancing Holidays have been celebrated diffe- rently since the outbreak of COV ID-19. Celebrations and social distancing may be challenging, but it's possible for people to safely celebrate Easter w ith their loved ones. Though it might not be the same as attending church ser v ices in person toge- ther as a family, watching v irtual ser v ices together can allow families to engage w ith their faith alongside one another. An outdoor brunch prov ides another way for families to gather this Easter w ithout compromising their health. Host an egg hunt in the back yard. The Easter egg hunt is one tradition that need not be sacrificed during the pandemic. Easter egg hunts traditionally take place outdoors, and children can wear masks like many are already doing when going to school or participating in sports and other extracurricular activ ities. Families spending the day w ith only those in their ow n households can watch a mov ie that commemorates their Christian faith. Various films are set around Easter, including the classic "The Greatest Stor y Ever Told" (1965) starring Ma x von Sydow and Claude Rains and the more recent "Risen" (2016), which focuses on efforts by a Roman militar y tribune named Clav ius (Joseph Fiennes) who is tasked w ith inves- tigating what happened to Jesus Christ's body after the Crucifix ion. Families can embrace some old and new traditions as they celebrate Easter in the era of social distancing. In the New Testament book of John, Chapter 11: 25 "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'" (NIV) FAITH Jesus said: I am the resurrection and the life a STAFF REPORT