Today is an important day for many in the U.S. and around the world who are Christian or Jewish. Even for those who might like to say they’re not very religious when it comes to their faith.
That’s because today is Good Friday and the start of Easter weekend when Christians celebrate the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and as calendars have turned out this year, today also is the start of Passover, the festival that for Jews, marks the celebration of their freedom from slavery in Egypt and the start of their trip to the Promised Land.
Many Christians will attend sunrise services on Sunday and many Jewish believers be taking part in the Passover meal tonight.
And while a new Gallup poll reveals that only half of Americans belong to a religious organization, and with many who describe themselves as not being very religious, Easter is still celebrated as a time of new life in the plant and animal world and new beginnings, marked by colored eggs, chicks and bunnies.
Traditionally, Easter has often been tied to the unofficial start of Spring, with it usually falling not far on the calendar from the spring equinox, and a welcome time especially for anyone who lives in colder climates who want to put their winter behind them.
And of course Easter weekend is also among the three annual holidays in America, along with Thanksgiving and Christmas, when families traditionally gather together.
And just like those other family holidays, Easter weekend can also be a time when the important things about family emerge.
And when we are reminded of how important family relationships are, when it’s so easy to become so distracted by our jobs and daily tasks in everyday life. That’s why Easter may be a good time to resurrect those family ties.
(Photo Mt. Helix cross KOGO News)