Holy Week Part Two: Easter

Christians across the planet celebrated Easter yesterday, concluding the Lenten season, which began Ash Wednesday.

Holy Week, which began on Palm Sunday last week and ended on Easter, is a weeklong remembrance of the last days of Jesus before his crucifixion and resurrection.

The exact origins of term "Holy Week" are disputed, but many religious officials and scholars believe the term originated from a text dating to either the late third or early fourth century CE.

Minister R'Sean Johnson said that Easter, like Holy Week are two of the most celebrated holidays of the year.

"Easter and Holy Week are wonderful times of the year," said Johnson, who serves at the Armory Church. "[Both Easter and Holy Week] are when we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ."

One aspect of Holy Week is the conclusion of the Lenten season, which means those who participated in the ritualistic fast can resume normal, day-to-day life.

Johnson, who is also a UT student studying education and minoring in religious studies, believes fasting is an important aspect to both Lent and Holy Week. Although some have misunderstood the meaning of "fasting," he believes that the fast depends on the individual.

"Fasting is a personal and individualized process," Johnson said. "Fasting is when you abstain from something that you feel is the most difficult thing to give up for an extended period of time. Fasting is giving up something that is dear to you with the focus of getting closer in your personal walk with Christ."

Johnson believes Holy Week is when Christians fellowship the most because individuals are celebrating the passion of Christ.

"Events such as Good Friday services and mid-week services to celebrate Christ's last days, as well as Easter Vigils and Stations of the Cross within the Catholic faith, allow Christians to grow in their faith and to understand better why Jesus did and endured what he did," he said.

Johnson believes that the media, in the right context, are great for those outside the faith. He also believes that the idea of the Easter Bunny is a money-making alternative to those who do not understand the true meaning of Easter.

Johnson said Mel Gibson's controversial film "The Passion of the Christ" is a bit off the mark of the biblical account.

"I don't think that people really don't appreciate what Easter is all about," he said. "‘The Passion of Christ' shows the brutality of what Christ went through for us [as Christians]. The movie, however, pales in comparison to what really happened [in the biblical account]."

Johnson said even though people have their ideas about what Easter is all about, there is one time-tested approach to finding out about Holy Week and Easter.

"During this time and season where we celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ, if you do not know what [Christians] are doing, I challenge you to investigate," he said. "Investigate what the Easter holiday is really all about. Ask a friend to show you [the Passion narratives in] the Bible. Investigate why millions of people all across the globe, people from all walks of life, are celebrating the life of a man who lived over two millennia ago. And when you're done, analyze yourself and see if it doesn't change your mind about some things."