Little Easters: Celebration
Philippians 4:4
In his essay God in the Dock, C.S. Lewis famously wrote, “I didn't go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don't recommend Christianity.” I understand what Lewis is saying. Following Christ can be difficult and uncomfortable at times. However, observations like this can lead people to believe that following Christ is a dour, joyless endeavor. Nothing could be further from the truth. In spite of the challenges one endures in following the Way of Jesus, joy is a fruit of the Spirit, and there is much to celebrate. In fact, early church leader St. Augustine wrote in the early fifth century, “The Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot!” In other words, Christians should celebrate as a spiritual discipline.
When Augustine wrote that in a sermon, Christians were facing a turbulent time filled with anxiety and trials. When the Visigoths sacked Rome in 410, many pagans blamed Christians for abandoning the pagan gods. Things were changing, and uncertainty ruled. In the midst of this tumult, Augustine called Christians to celebrate. Celebrate in the good times! Celebrate in the bad times! We are to be a living, breathing testament to the goodness of God, from head to foot.
Celebration is an act of resistance to the trials and tribulations that are so common in our world. Just like the Christians in the early fifth century, we too see upheaval and tumult in our society. We may be experiencing fear and uncertainty. We may be experiencing heartache and despair. Yet we still celebrate because, despite the hard times, God is always good—and that is worthy of celebration. Celebration as a spiritual discipline rejects despair, fear, and death in recognition of God’s redeeming work in Jesus Christ. Even though we celebrate Easter Sunday only once a year, the truth is that every Sunday is a little Easter. And every Sunday, even in Lent, we celebrate that death and evil do not have the last word. Celebration is not escapism or denial of hardship; it is the deliberate choice to see God’s goodness woven throughout our ordinary lives.
We cannot ignore the hard things of life because they are always seemingly right in front of us. We cannot ignore the blessings either. Wherever we find the blessings, we must celebrate. When God breaks into the routine of our daily experiences to remind us that what we see is not all that there is, our response should be celebration. Celebration reminds us to be joyful, and in that joy we can grow closer to God. Richard Foster calls celebration the “central discipline,” arguing that without joy the other practices grow dull and burdensome. So let us rejoice in the Lord.
Rev. Dana Ezell
