(Be blessed by this DWOD for Easter, March 31, 2013, which was first published as a Niagara Faith column in the St. Catharines Standard)

In keeping with tradition, this Easter column begins with a joke.

Three people are greeted at the Pearly Gates by St. Peter who tells them they can enter upon answering the question: “What is Easter?”

Candidate #1 replies: “That’s when we cook a turkey and give thanks.” Peter frowns.

The next one says: “It’s when Jesus came to earth as a baby, with angels, shepherds and the Wise Guys.”

Peter is disgusted by this display of ignorance until # 3 pipes up: “Easter is when Jesus was crucified for our sins and lay buried in a tomb for three days.”

His face lights up as our candidate continues: “Then he rises from the dead, and if he sees his shadow, it means we have six more weeks of winter!”

That’s when St. Peter fainted!

Actually this joke may not be all that far-fetched.

Four years ago, British supermarket chain Somerfield issued a press release which read:  “Brits will on average be enjoying 3.5 (chocolate) eggs each over the Easter weekend alone. But over a quarter don’t know why handing them out symbolizes the birth of Jesus.”

Shortly thereafter, an apology accompanied a revised version which described Easter as the “re-birth of Jesus.”

Shocked that the amendment did not actually make amends, Somerfield’s public relations firm contacted the Church of England.

Here is a church official’s (under)statement: “I clarified with them that it would probably be best to refer to Easter as a celebration of Christ’s resurrection rather than his birth.”

Hence the third press release which finally wiped the (Easter) egg off Somerfield’s corporate face.

Several years ago I quizzed young children in church about the meaning of Easter.  Perhaps it wouldn’t surprise you to learn that the Easter Bunny and egg hunts dominated the responses.

Now you know why such quizzing is not part of my Easter repertoire anymore!

How about adults?

According to a recent survey by the Barna Group, 42% of Americans said that the meaning of Easter was the resurrection of Jesus.  2% said that Easter is about the “birth of Christ” while another 2% indicated it was about the “rebirth of Jesus” (hello, Somerfield!)

Some simply celebrate Easter as a festival of new life, replete with symbols such as baby chicks, lilies and butterflies, with no reference to the bodily resurrection of Jesus whatsoever. Others claim that he lives, but only in the memory of his followers.

The Biblical record, though, is very clear about what Easter is.

On the third day after Jesus died and was buried, some women went to anoint his body with spices, as was the custom. When they got to the tomb, they found that the stone that sealed the entrance had been rolled away and the tomb was empty.  Angelic beings told them: “He is not here. He has been raised!”

Shortly thereafter, the Risen Jesus made personal appearances to Mary, some women and then to his disciples over a period of 40 days.

He showed them his nail-pierced hands and wounded side (where a spear had been thrust on Friday) and invited Thomas to touch him (John 20:27). In Matthew 28:9 we are told that they clasped his feet.

According to Luke 24:42, he ate a piece of broiled fish and honey. Clearly he was not just a Caspar of a Christ, a disembodied spirit being, but a full-blooded human with a fully functioning digestive system!

To quote John Updike in Seven Stanzas at Easter:
“Make no mistake: if He rose at all it was as His body;
If the cells’ dissolution did not reverse,
the molecules reknit,
the amino acids rekindle,
the Church will fall.”

That, beloved reader, is Easter.