It is so interesting to me how different the secular world is compared to the religious world. I am choosing to mention just two differences between our secular world and our religious world in this blog entry for today.
Christmas Day is a very big day in the United States of America. It is the day when many people spend so much time and money on many different items many days, and even months, before this day arrives. Once this day arrives and ends, our secular society is finished with Christmas and is ready to move on to the next holiday, which for many people is Valentine’s Day. What is very interesting is that the Christmas season is not the period of time that precedes Christmas Day. This is the Advent season. Advent is the period of time when you prepare your heart, mind, and soul for the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birthday on December 25. What is the Christmas season? “The liturgical season of Christmas begins with the vigil Masses on Christmas Eve and concludes on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. During this season, we celebrate the birth of Christ into our world and into our hearts and reflect on the gift of salvation that is born with him, including the fact that he was born to die for us.” (USCCB.org) The Christmas season takes place several days after Christmas Day.
Easter Sunday is also a very big day in the United States. It is another day when many people spend so much time and money on many different items (mainly chocolate and candy) many days, and even months, before this day arrives. Once this day arrives and ends, our secular society is finished with Easter and is ready to move on to the next holiday, which for many people is Mother’s Day. What is very interesting is that the Easter season is not the period of time that precedes Easter Sunday. What is the Easter season? (Side note: Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon occurring either on or after the spring equinox (March 21)) “The Church celebrates the Easter season (also known as “Eastertide”) for 50 days, culminating with the feast of Pentecost, where Scripture (Acts 2:1–31) tells us that the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles.” (Hallow.com)
During these days after Easter Day, the day when Jesus Christ rose from the dead and spent time with His apostles and others, we as Christians are to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ: “Then Jesus approached and said to them, ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20) A disciple is a person who is a student or a follower. “A true disciple of Christ is one who has committed themselves to learn from and follow Jesus Christ. To be a true follower of Christ there must be a commitment to learn what he has said. There is also however a commitment to do what he has said. If all you do is read about and study what Jesus said but you never put it into practice, then you are not really a disciple.” (BibleStudyTools.com) What are you doing during these fifty days of Easter to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ? What can you do today throughout the Easter Season to learn more about Jesus and also help others learn about Him?