The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
IT is beyond reproach that Easter is one of the principal holidays for the Christian community, with its significance being Jesus Christ’s triumph over death.
For Zimbabwe, being a Christian nation, its importance can never be overemphasized. Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ three days after His death by crucifixion. Certainly, without the resurrection, there would be no Christian preaching or faith.
His resurrection means the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him.
Basic interpretation of the scriptures reveals that if He had not risen from the dead, if He had simply died and not resurrected, He would have been treated like another teacher or prophet. No wonder eggs have always been part of the Easter celebrations as they represent new life and rebirth, thus this ancient custom became a part of Easter celebrations.
For Catholics, Easter is at the heart of their faith in Christ.Father Simba Rukanda, the Roman Catholic Pastoral Director for the Diocese of Mutare said: “The Catholic Church begins the journey to Easter with Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) when Jesus enters Jerusalem heading to his condemnation and death. Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) marks the begging of what we call the Easter Tridum.
“These are the three days that culminate in the resurrection of Christ early Sunday morning. On Holy Thursday, the people of God begin on a high note as they celebrate two masses, one in the morning and the other in the evening.
“In the morning, Chrism Mass is celebrated where the three oils that are used by the Catholic priests in the sacraments are blessed and consecrated by the Bishop. In this mass, the priests also renew their vows.
“In the evening, another important mass is celebrated. In this mass, the people of God celebrate the institution of the sacrament of Holy Orders (priesthood), the mandate given by Christ is to love one another unconditionally as He has loved us. This is marked by the washing of the feet of the faithful by the priest as Jesus did to his disciples.
“In this mass, we also celebrate the institution of the sacrament of the Eucharistic (the body and blood of Christ) which is at the very heart and core of Catholic Doctrine. This is Centre of Catholic Mass. This mass ends at a low key because Christ has been arrested and is in custody.
“On Friday (Good Friday), no mass is celebrated in the Catholic Church. All Catholics gather in various locations and begin the journey to their various parishes while reciting the ‘Way of the cross’ in groups and reflecting on the sufferings of Christ. At 3pm in the afternoon, the Priest leads a service, not a mass.
“On Saturday, the people of God remain eagerly at the grave awaiting the resurrection of Christ. The day is quite and the mood is sombre. No mass for any intention is celebrated throughout the course of the day.
“However, at night the mass of the resurrection of Christ is celebrated. This mass marks the end of the Easter Tridum and the beginning of the Easter season,” said Father Rukanda.
Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM)’s Pastor Kennedy Gangata weighed in: “First of all I would like to point out the fact that Easter is the Passover. We are inheriting it from the old covenant were Jesus was pictured as a sacrificial lamb. He was then fulfilled in the new covenant, where Jesus is crucified just like a lamp.
“We cannot talk of Christianity in any generation without the mention of the death, burial and most importantly the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
“The love of God is manifested in the coming of our lord Jesus Christ to redeem us from our sins. This generation should understand that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed on the cross. There is no other price to be paid for the salvation of man.
“Allow me to explain a little bit of the aspects of salvation. Justification, regeneration and sanctification. Justification is the declaration that you are forgiven of your sins, regeneration is the recreation of a new spirit in the new believer. That will help you now to lose appetite to the things of this world.
“Sanctification is a process of becoming holly. This means that even if we are saved, we are still living on this earth and we sin, but because God is still working on us, we repent every day.
“No one is not yet condemned. We have a chance to repent. This generation should continue with what the old generation started. In trying to bring what they call the new truth, it will cause the intrusion of other unbiblical doctrines. Salvation is centred on Easter (Passover). No amount of money can buy a human soul.”
For the AFM congregants, traditional programmes will see the believers starting their commemorations on Easter Friday (today).
Pastor Gangata said: “Friday is the day we spend praying and imagining all the trials and the tribulations that Christ went through before His death.
As the AFM, we take time to reflect on this. “Saturday is that day we take a rest waiting for the resurrection of Christ. On Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We take time to pray and ask God to help us renew our belief and souls as his son wakes up from the dead.”
For Christians, just like Pastor Gangata points out, it is Jesus’ resurrection that provided final and undeniable proof that he was really the Son of God and that he had overcome death once and for all. Christ Embassy’s Pastor Nelson Mhlanga said: “Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. Time and generations can change, but God remains the same. The Bible in Proverbs 22:28 says: ‘Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set’.
“Easter is to us a memorial of the price Jesus paid for our salvation and a great testimony that He is Alive and His resurrection is for our victory.”
Pastor Mhlanga outlined the importance of Easter: “Jesus took our place, so He carried our sins (The issue of sin and death was dealt with). The Bible says before Jesus came and took upon Himself the effect of sin, which was death, a soul that sinned was supposed to die, but He, a man who knew no sin, became sin so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ in Jesus. So His death made it possible. He died for our sins so that righteousness could be a possibility for mankind (Romans 6:6).
“His death made salvation a possibility. Jesus was the first begotten of the father. He was the first man to be born again and to rise from the dead. Romans 10:9 says if you only believe that He died, buried and rose again and confess with your mouth, salvation is yours, hallelujah so salvation is now possible to anyone who believes because of His death.
“His death brought us eternal everlasting life. He rose to a new life which is divine. It is the highest form of life on earth, among plant life, animal life and human life (Roman’s 8:11), with this life you are brought into agelessness into life eternal.
“Satan is rendered powerless when He arose. True Christianity is lived from the resurrection of Christ. He arose and that tomb is empty. Jesus Christ is alive forever, more glory to God,” he said. According to founder of Impact for Christ Ministries, Pastor Success Khuleya: “The holiday is valuable in that it helps us to commemorate the suffering, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, which forms the basis of New Testament Christianity.”
Pastor Khuleya notes that although there are different persuasions on the value and ways of celebrating Easter, there is a biblical command to commemorate Easter.
“Some Christians are of a different persuasion in terms of interpreting the scriptures and do not celebrate Easter. But there is a biblical command to celebrate it when Jesus in Luke 22:19 says, ‘And He took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: do this in remembrance of me,” said Pastor Khuleya.
It is crystal clear, from the interpretation of different denominations, that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the core of the Christian gospel. Just like Saint Paul says in the Bible that if Christ is not raised from the dead, then ‘our preaching and hope are in vain’. (1 Cor. 15:14).
