Easter and Holy Week celebrations have come and gone this year, and since Easter fell on April 5, the first Sunday of this month, it seems to have really snuck up on us. This probably wasn't the case for those who had already planned to set aside extra cash for the holiday. The National Retail Federation reported that Americans were projected to spend "a record $24.9 billion on baskets." That's a lot of Peeps, jellybean eggs and chocolate bunnies. With this increase in spending, up 4% from last year, CBC News dubbed Easter the "spring Christmas," which can no doubt bring on additional stress with all the preparations.

I especially took note of CBC's "spring Christmas" analysis because we often hear that Christmas is too commercialized, with people focusing more on purchasing gifts than on the true gift of God, Jesus Christ, as the world's Savior. I think that many have also thought of Easter in this manner, with not only the elaborate baskets for children but also the money many churchgoers spend on new outfits for Easter morning services. This is a storied cultural tradition in Black churches that I grew up with. While there is certainly nothing wrong with being decked out for Easter or with having baskets of candy for the kids, just as with Christmas, the true meaning of Easter can also be missed if we put too much attention on the festivities.

My personal reflection on Easter this year was related to the Sunday morning message my pastor preached, titled "Have you been resurrected truly?" This is significant to me as a believer because Christ's resurrection embodies daily victorious living. I can think back to years of Easter services that I attended when I was much younger, where I enjoyed listening to the choir sing Easter hymns "At the Cross" and "He Arose," and hearing sermons about Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane and His physical suffering on Calvary. However, this was what I had grown accustomed to hearing, and I really did not take the time to examine what it meant to be resurrected in my spiritual life. I wonder, how many people considered the deeper meaning of Jesus' resurrection while attending Easter services? Were they content with just hearing a feel-good message about Jesus rising from the grave, or did they meditate on how His triumph applies to the daily situations they face? One part of my pastor's Easter sermon that particularly stood out to me was her explaining how Christ has given us the "keys" to prosper in life — that is, to walk in authority and stewardship. Oftentimes, ministers will reference Revelation 1:18 on Easter, where John the Apostle is describing his encounter with Jesus on the isle of Patmos. In verse 18, Jesus says, "I am the living one. I died, but look — I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave." This Scripture expounds on the power Jesus demonstrated in conquering death and how this power has released us from its eternal hold. However, other references to keys in Scripture signify the promise of dominion Christ has given believers. For example, in Revelation 3:7, Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia, "This is the message from the one who is holy and true, the one who has the key of David. What he opens, no one can close; and what he closes, no one can open." The key of David represents the sovereignty of Christ, so, as a believer who is resurrected, I can also walk through the doors He has opened for me. Thus, in contemplating further what a resurrected life means, I assessed if I am truly walking what I profess to believe. If I allow depression and despair to overwhelm me, I'm not exemplifying a resurrected life. If I allow fear to constantly overpower me, my soul will be defeated rather than rejuvenated, and if I am overly anxious about what the next day will bring, my spiritual power is weakened.

I will continue to deliberate on my pastor's Easter sermon about the resurrected life we should have within us. This is a constant reminder that the Easter message should always be evident in how we live. It's much more than just a special Sunday for dressing up.

Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at [email protected]. Follow her on X: @JjSmojc. To find out more about Jessica Johnson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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