Jal Paddy,
The one big question that always comes up in the UK society is whether Easter means anything to us, other than lots of chocolate eggs and a long bank (public) holiday.
A recent UK poll about the subject shows that many people do not know the story of Easter. Quite a big number believe more in the paranormal world of Harry Porter and science fiction than in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
For the kids, it’s all about Easter eggs, which I am told until recently were real chicken eggs painted in a variety of bright colours. Nowadays it’s all about chocolate and candy shaped in the form of eggs. The Easter hunt involves having a few eggs hidden about and folks go around ‘hunting’ for them. One who comes through with the most eggs is winner.
I am told the egg connection with Easter is the symbolism of new life, new beginning – just like the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ brings eternal life to Christians.
Quite a tall story if you asked me. I think the bazungu are being rather clever here – attaching their traditional ritual to the Easter wagon!
In all these chocolate and candy-eating games, little reference is made to Christ and the Bible narrative about Easter. And at the forefront of this period are big chocolate companies like Cadbury, not the church.
Our very own Ugandan-born Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, told off Cadbury the other day for eliminating the word Easter from their annual egg hunt events promotion.
See. It’s more about the chocolate eggs than Christ. While the kids are getting stuffed, we adults are enjoying a long weekend break, and just happy to be away from work. Bazungu usually go to the village to see their parents or head for a short holiday in warmer climates of Spain, Greece or Turkey.
Nkuba kyeyos see that quick holiday to Turkey as wasting money. So, they stay put in front of the telly on series of marathons. After all, we had enough sun when growing up.
And there you have it; the London Easter! For our case, church on these occasions remains top of the list because we think it’s important that the little ones don’t miss out on Sunday school.
This is followed by a quick drop in on a few relatives after the Easter Sunday service, and the long phone calls back home. I don’t see it any different for you in Kampala, you know. The busy, hectic lifestyle of the average town folk affects us all. It’s up to us to keep the spiritual fire burning and make time for God during important times like Easter. God already spends a lot of time in the back bench of our lives.
The distractions we contend with will only continue to grow. Indulging fully into the true spirit of Easter should be our big opportunity to bring back our focus towards God and our spiritual self.
Just writing down these words gives me the lightness of heart which comes from knowing I believe in God, and that Christ died on the cross so we may be free through his blood and sacrifice.
Happy Easter, my friend!
Your friend,
Chris.
