How will Easter be celebrated this time?

We will celebrate Easter. Yes, this is how this holiday is known. Unfortunately, the people of my country will only superficially celebrate the great feast of the Resurrection of Jesus. The hustle and bustle of preparing can be felt everywhere, from cleaning throughout towns to crowds of people in the city squares in order to prepare holiday meals. Nobody says this would be bad. It is good and necessary, only that in all this running people completely forget about the essence of this holiday.

In fact, we have long forgotten the pure essence of the Resurrection of Jesus, and this time we will focus as a nation on what our meals will look like or who we will visit. I can sadly say that those who should teach people the truth also contribute to this, and I am referring first of all to the priests, who have gone so far as to sanctify the Easter wine. Or, if we live in a country with great problems in terms of drunkenness, why on the eve of the great feast of the Resurrection, when it is well known that wine will be in all households, the consumption of this product is promoted? Is this the meaning of the resurrection of the Savior of the world? Do we show ourselves to be a Christian by overeating and drinking? 

I don’t think the situation will change for the better this year either, precisely because there is too little talk about the quality of worship these days. And I am afraid that there is no difference between us, the people of our time, and the people of the time of the Lord Jesus, because even with them the herd effect was predominant, when what everyone was doing was law and not doing what the Lord Jesus asks you to do. It seems that we are also complicit in the crucifixion of Jesus by looking after our needs and lusts and are so focused on these visible material things, while the spiritual ones that have true value are overshadowed or completely ignored. Are we not like the thief Barabas who took advantage of the Savior and Passover to be released from prison, but still had a dirty life? 

Or are we as the passers-by who saw Jesus crucified and mocked His words during the earthly ministry? Certainly there will be many who will make fun of Christ, some have even made the mockery of Jesus a way of life, and our country is full of Barabas, ignorant passers-by and mockers, who want in this holiday to satisfy their cravings or even political dividends, since this is the trend. While their lives are so far from what the gospel requires them to be… 

But, I still hope that these days we will have people who will have the attitude of one of the robbers on the cross. He admitted, unlike his fellow thief, that he was a sinner, and he even sincerely wanted to be with Jesus in heaven. His faith made him save his eternity at Easter. 

I would like people in our country to celebrate these holidays with pure and sincere faith. May the hope of the resurrection reach everyone’s hearts and make them aware of the true essence of the holiday. One which dwells not in food and drink, but in obedience and faith in the Lord Jesus.

Christ is risen, dear people !!!

Translated by Liza Bîrlădeanu