Who(se) Easter is it, Anyway?

Many years ago, I was shopping in a drugstore for an Easter Card to send to my Mom.  I was hoping to find just the right card for her, and at that point of the week, there was still quite a selection.  They had Easter cards in several categories – with little markers to identify them:

Easter -- Humorous

Easter -- Child

Easter – Grandparent

Easter – Friend

And then I saw it.  I had to read it twice to make sure of what I was seeing.  Yep, there it was, one of those little markers, big as life, with the words, “Easter – Religious” written on it……  

And that’s when it hit me – have the people at Hallmark and Wal-Mart begun to take over Easter in much the same way they've tried to co-opt Christmas?  Is it their hope that Easter will become just as big a financial boon for corporate America as Christmas now is?  Will the church have to work every bit as hard to “protect” the message of Christ’s Resurrection at Easter as we do Christ’s birth at Christmas?   

Thankfully, the church has had an “ally” in its fight to get the true meaning of Christmas out -- Dr. Suess.  Dr. Suess’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has been a great way for many to hear that the true meaning of Christmas isn’t to be found in all the crass commercialism that is so abundant at that time of the year.  

And that’s when I decided maybe we needed a “Dr. Suess story” for Easter, but since Theodore Geisel had died the year before, I decided to take on the job myself.  So, more than  a few years ago, and with apologies to Dr. Suess, I offered the following sermon -- the story of:

"How the Grinch Nearly Stole Easter"

Every Who down in Who-ville liked Easter a lot!

But the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, DID NOT!!!

The Grinch hated Easter!  The whole Easter season.

Now, please don't ask why.  No one quite knows the reason.

For Easter, you see, requires some believing.

And that's hard if your life has been filled with great grieving.

And that was the case for Mr. Grinch, it was said.

His life had been filled with fear and with dread.

Fear and dread that when his miserable life would be over

he'd be buried in a box, just buried under some clover.

And what would come later -- what would come after?

The Grinch was convinced there would be no joy or laughter.

But the Whos down in Who-ville, had faith and belief,

and this fact alone caused the Grinch even MORE grief.

The Whos believed that the dead would arise --

Some they said had seen it with their own eyes!

That Christ, who had been hung on a tree

was made alive again, for all to see.

"Nonsense," said the Grinch, with a smirk that was evil,

"Who could believe such an impossible fable?"

And to make matters worse, if worse they could be:

The Whos offered their faith for others to see.

Those Whos, he knew, would be gathering soon

well before evening, well before noon.

They'd gather in fact, at the crack of dawn,

before most people even have time to yawn.

They'd gather to sing, their songs of Easter Joy.

Songs the Grinch knew would surely annoy.

"Christ is Risen!  Risen Indeed!"  He would mutter.

To believe that, your mind would have to be full of -- peanut butter!

The more the Grinch thought of their bright morning singing

the more he was sure it would be his undoing.

"I'll stop it this year, by hook or by crook!"

"I'll stop it," he said, with a frightening look.

"I'll not have their singing ringing again in my ears --

After all, it's been nearly two thousand years!"

"I'll show those Whos what Easter's really about."

"I'll show them that Easter isn't celebrated with a shout!"

"Christ is Risen! Risen Indeed! "

"I'll give them a belief they really will need!"

"I'll get them to believe in bunnies and bonnets

and candy and colored eggs and cards that have sonnets."

"And soon they'll forget this Christ who has risen.

Soon they'll forget the hope of this season."

"I'll load up my wagon with all kinds of treats

And bring them to Who-ville to give out in the streets."

"I'll do it before their songs of praise ring out

to their God they have said they never will doubt."

"They'll doubt, they'll forget, once they see my surprises

once they see that Easter is about getting prizes."

And so, off he went, to do his level best

to wake those Whos from their their Easter Eve rest.

"Free candy!" he shouted, as he entered their town.

"Free candy to any and all who come down!"

"Free candy to those who choose not to sing!

"But free candy for you is not all that I bring!"

"I've got baskets and bonnets and eggs colored red.

Come on, you Whos -- get out of your bed!"

"Get out of your bed -- but not to stand in the cold

And sing songs of praise like those Whos of old."

"Get our of your bed and receive your fill of candy

And I'll show you that Easter is really quite dandy."

"It's not about God's love and faith and peace,

it's not about forgiveness and pardon and release."

"It's not about joy and hope beyond reason,

it's not about life beyond death and resurrection"

"It's all about candy and bunnies and bonnets,

It's about colored eggs and cards that have sonnets."

"No it's not!" said one Who, who came down from her bed.

"No it's not!" she said, with sleep still in her head.

"Easter's not about candy," said Cindy Lou Who.

"It's all about God's love, for me and for you.

A love that was willing to risk even death

So that we will be comforted at our last breath.

For God loves us so, that he gave his own Son

That a victory over death would finally be won."

"That's what Easter's about, you silly old Grinch,

I'm surprised you didn't know that, it's really a cinch.”

“And because I'm so sure,” said Cindy Lou Who,

“I'm willing to risk telling all of this to you.

You, who laugh and scoff and wish to make fun

of those who trust and believe in God's Son.

Because this story, this hope, this great, grand, good news

is meant to be shared -- it isn't just for the Whos."

"That's why we sing our songs of great joy

We don't mean to offend, or dismay, or annoy.

It's just that our hearts are so filled with relief

that God, who knows our fears, has given us belief.

A belief that death isn't the final defeat --

a trust that in death it is Christ we will meet.

He'll meet us not only at the hour of our death

but each day, each living day, that we draw a breath.

Christ meets us in those who reach out with love

to remind us of the home that's prepared for us above."

"To give us the confidence to risk loving others

To live with Christ as sisters and brothers.

To give of our time and talents and treasure

because God has given to us without measure.

Mr. Grinch, you can keep all the candy you've brought along

We Whos will still choose to gather in song.

To sing "Jesus Christ is risen today"

and thank God all our fears have been allayed.

In fact, please join us -- it would give us great joy

if you think my inviting you doesn't annoy."

And what happened then....?  Well, in Who-ville they say

That the Grinch's small heart grew three times that day.

The story is told how his heart swelled that morn

when old Mr. Grinch was for a second time born.

And the minute his heart didn't feel quite so tight,

he wondered as he looked at the early dawn's light.

He could see in his mind the stone rolled away

as surely as he saw the light of that new day.

And suddenly he knew the true meaning of Easter.

Christ's dying and rising was at the heart of the matter.

It wasn't about candy and bunnies and bonnets;

Not colored eggs and cards that have sonnets.

The Grinch knew himself the joy of this season

and with all of the Whos, shouted out: "CHRIST IS RISEN!!!"  

The End.  

Not really -- we get to take the story of Easter from here.

Pax,

Bp. Mark