Sitting in my living room this morning drinking my Advocare with a shawl draped over my shoulders, feet tucked under me, for some reason I thought of all the memories of Easter week as a child. My family was Italian and so I was often made fun of in my school. I loved weekends because I got to go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Ah, Grandma's--everything was normal there. Grandpa would make little crosses out of Palm leaves that were handed out on Palm Sunday, and pin them to my dress. My Grandma always made me dresses out of feedsacks. (Feedsacks were what my grandma got flour, chicken feed and cornmeal in. With feed sacks and flour bags, farmwomen took thriftiness to new heights of creativity, transforming the humble bags into dresses, underwear, towels, curtains, quilts, and other household necessities. By the 1940s the bag manufactureres were turning out bags in bright colors and printed designs.) I loved my dresses. They always had little flowers on them and fit me perfectly. Grandpa loved pinning the cross on my dress. None of the other classmates wore the crosses. When I grew up I found out that there were entire neighborhoods of Italians that wore crosses pinned to their clothes for a week. So, those of you that truly know me, now understand my love for the Italian Festivals, Feast of the 7 Fishes and Italian cooking....Italian apparel; especially leather shoes. Ah the shoes.
Since this is what many, including myself refer to as Holy Week memories always come to mind as I start to prepare my messages and our menu. Eating is one of the things we Italians do best. My favorite is Pastiera Napoletana (Neapolitan Wheat Berry & Ricotta Easter Cake) I will include the link in case you want to make it. https://food52.com/recipes/27744-pastiera-napoletana-neapolitan-wheatberry-and-ricotta-easter-cake. Oh, you can't start making this Resurrection morning it takes all week when made properly and you can taste the difference!
What my heart wants to say to you today is this, Easter (The Resurrection) is something we prepare for. The traditions we make or hold to dearly, tell a story of our journey--our life. Jesus' life was a journey too. He was born to die. We as Christians know from Christmas Eve, to the 33 years later on that Resurrection morning a lot took place. But, just like my childhood memories, until today a lot took place that you would know nothing about, unless I shared it with you--many don't know the story about this Jesus.
The names we call one another have power. My parents named me Rena Mae. I wanted the name Rena Maria. It sounded so much more...well Italian, and holy and powerful. Rena Mae well--it just sounded southern. When my parents were upset with us, they always used our middle name too. If they would yell, "RENA MAE", I knew I was in big trouble. But, I always thought even if you yelled, "RENA MARIA" it sounded "bellissima", beautiful in Italian. I would tell people when they asked what the "M" in my middle name stood for that it was for "Maria." They never doubted me. Sometimes, I believed it myself. Except I did love my Aunt Mae, so I did feel guilt. Now, I know the power of a name. I don't lie. I like my name. God does too. To God names are powerful, they mean something. He named His Son, Jesus, Emmanuel, God with us....
ACTION STEP: There is power in the name of JESUS. Many of us know Him. We know His story. We know what He loves and what He hates. We even know why He loves what He loves, and hates what He hates. But, there are many who think Easter is just about some Bunny and where the eggs are. They don't know Easter is a pagan holiday about a Ēostre, in whose honor feasts were celebrated in that month.” Ēostre is variously depicted by scholars as a fertility goddess and a goddess of dawn and light. (https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-pagan-goddess-behind-the-holiday-of-easter/)
Now, more than ever the world needs to know Jesus. They need to know why He came, why we love and serve Him and the power of His Name. You and I have a great opportunity to tell the world about Him. In this time of quarantining (which by the way comes from the word meaning 40--which also was the number for how many years the children of Israel were tested in Egypt, and how many days Jesus fasted and was tested in the wilderness by Satan...just saying), let's use our time wisely. Let's be sure to share the story of Jesus and the power in His name.
Now, more than ever the world needs to know Jesus. They need to know why He came, why we love and serve Him and the power of His Name. You and I have a great opportunity to tell the world about Him. In this time of quarantining (which by the way comes from the word meaning 40--which also was the number for how many years the children of Israel were tested in Egypt, and how many days Jesus fasted and was tested in the wilderness by Satan...just saying), let's use our time wisely. Let's be sure to share the story of Jesus and the power in His name.
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