Easter? What is it and what does it even mean to you?

It’s that time of the year again where the roads are stacked with unending traffic, the shopping malls are packed to maximum capacity, your favourite item in the shelves is out of stock and… of course, there’s a bunch of colourful bunny-chocolatey eggs everywhere you look. So what is this ‘time of the year’?

Easter, also religiously known as Passover, means different things to different people, for some it’s a time to hit the snooze button and get an extra bit of sleep whilst absorbing the long holiday, to others it’s a time to reminisce on the Biblical historic events that shaped today’s way of living and to our little friends, it’s a fun time to chase bunnies and hunt for those hidden chocolate treats.

Occurring on the first Sunday of April, Easter is the commemoration of the rise of Jesus Christ, who was crucified just two days before Easter. The focus of or about Easter tends to be the event, the resurrection, the Sunday, however, there are multiple events that lead to this beautiful occasion.

A lot of people are familiar with the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci titled ‘The Last Supper’, and this painting is a depiction of the event that occurs two days prior to Easter, where Jesus was practically saying his goodbyes whilst sharing a feast with His main crew.

People today celebrate the Biblical historic event as a public holiday. It is typically seen as a time to hit the pause button on the hustle and bustle of life and come together with family and extended family to enjoy the “Last Supper” before heading back to the busyness of business. It is in this time where generational family recipes are whipped out and perfected in a warm space of love because God has given the ultimate sacrifice, His begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

So, whether you’re religious or not, we can agree that Easter is an important time to reminisce, especially with the recent effects Covid-19 has had on us as a people. Loved ones were lost and we remember their presence and share meals with the family we have now. Happy Safe Easter.

by Lebo Langa