Christian Perspectives
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Pastor Steve Amorin
First Baptist Church Tillsonburg
This past Sunday as many people donned green outfits and stopped by the local pub in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
I found myself curious about who this historic figure really was. I learned that St. Patrick was born Maewyn Succat in England in the year 387. As a young man, he was far from being a Christian, or a saint for that matter. At the age of 16 he was kidnapped by a group of Irish marauders and sold as a slave to a druid master. During his captivity in Ireland he became a Christian and eventually escaped, finding his way back to England.
After studying for several years as a monk, he returned to Ireland as a bishop under his new name Patricius. While he was arrested many times for his efforts, he successfully spread the Christian message among the Irish people and has been merrily celebrated ever since.
Whatever special days we choose to mark on our calendar, I believe it is important to understand the roots of the things we celebrate. Doing so expands our understanding and appreciation of what we do and provides a meaningful teaching opportunity for our young ones.
What about Easter? While there is some controversy over the origins of the name Easter, the name has commonly been associated with the goddess Eostre. This obscure mythical figure, who represented fertility and the dawning of spring, was celebrated for many years by the Anglo-Saxons who were said to have held feasts in her honour during the month of April.
Many depictions of this mythical figure include other popular cultural symbols of fertility like eggs and rabbits.
For Christians, this time of year holds great significance. Many Christians refer to this coming week as Holy Week. It is a time where we focus on the most foundational events of the Christian faith, namely the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When we hear about these events a sense of skepticism stirs in most people. After all, what evidence is there that could prove these events actually happened? Why should we have reason to believe that Jesus lived, died and then was raised back to life? One of the most compelling pieces of evidence comes from the closest companions of Jesus who witnessed these events first-hand, the disciples.
All but Judas Iscariot were subjected to imprisonment or execution for their unyielding persistence in sharing the good news of Jesus throughout the world. Peter, one of Jesus' closest disciples, wrote these words a few years before his execution at the hands of the Romans.
“...Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV).
Whatever you choose to celebrate at this time of year, I invite you to take some time to pause and wonder at the deeper meaning of it all. I also want to invite you to stop by your neighbourhood church this coming week and gain a deeper appreciation of why the good news of Jesus really is ‘Good News.’