Lost Easter Traditions

Today is Easter Sunday and as I reflect on lost traditions I am reminded of a Loreena McKennitt song the Old Ways. "As you turned to go, I heard you call my name. You were like a bird in a cage, spreading its wings to fly. 'The old ways are lost', you sang as you flew and I wondered why."

Most harp music sounds like elevator music but Loreena McKennitt does have a heartfelt passion the makes the harp and any instrument she plays come to life. 

The song Old Ways appears to be a love song but it could also have a spiritual significance hence the line "As we cast our gaze on the tumbling sea, a vision came o'er me, of thundering hooves and beating wings in the clouds above." Calling me home could refer to God reaching out to a lost child. 

Without reading too much into the song as it no longer means to me what it once did, I want to talk about how the old ways are lost with regards to Easter. I remember growing up in the United Church. Easter Sunday would follow Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday which was the conclusion of Lent before Good Friday. I remember Easter bonnets and Easter eggs. Does anyone do that any more? Last year many in England were in an uproar because Ramadan fell on Easter. This year it does not.

This year Vaisakhi was celebrated the day before Easter. None of these other traditions diminish our traditions. Since the recent rise of fascism and right wing extremism we see them blame immigrants for all our problems just like Hitler did. Yet we have no one to blame for our lost traditions but ourselves.

Canadians have become for the most part secular and pagan. People come here with religious traditions and we applaud it since we have lost ours. In the early days churches were an important part of a rural community. Now not so much. 

Everyone is busy with other things. I'm not saying that's good or bad because actions speak louder than words. You don't need a religion to have morals and sometimes religion can make us intolerant. Yet that is not the intent of religion. The intent of religion is to treat others the way you want to be treated. That is the golden rule. There's nothing wrong with that but the hate and intolerance we can all do without.

Today I was going to talk about the resurrection and I thought, you know, I've already talked about that. The atonement and the resurrection. What ever happened to missionaries? I don't see them around any more. From any faith. I see Jehovah's witnesses once in a while yet their doctrine is a bit twisted. 

I've seen the woke wave sweep many churches. I've also seen a push back of hate and intolerance. From one extreme to the other. I always thought religion was a very personal and private thing. Public prayer and public displays of piety always turned me off. As I quoted an experience Elijah had in one of my podcasts, God was not found in the heavy winds, the loud earthquake or the fierce fire. God was in the still small voice. 

Remember why Elijah was in a cave? All the people had killed and rejected the prophets God had sent them. I remember Isaiah once said the people "say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits."

Don't tell us the truth. Tell us what we want to hear. Tell us lies. The world is full of false prophets. We were warned of such. Yet I read another verse which said if a true prophet comes to the people and tells them they need to change, the people will cast him out and declare he is a false prophet. 

Yet if a false prophet came and said all is well. Lie a little, cheat a little, do what you want, not only will the people hail him to be a true prophet but they will also pay him well. Human nature tends to be very short sighted. Take a step back and look at the big picture. Remember the parable of the good Samaritan? We could retell it today as the parable of the good immigrant. 

Easter in Colombia is quite different than here. It's far more religious. They have a holy week and reenact the Easter story on the streets along with religious processions. 

@fernando.piamba Semana Santa Popayán 2023 Lunes santo ⛪️🙏🏻 Drone: @fernando.piamba 🚀 @DJI Official @Droneland Brasil @Dji Mini 3 Pro @ . . . #semanasanta #semanasanta2023 #semanasantapopayan #semanamayor #juntaprosemanasanta #procesiones #religion #catalina #religioncatolica #popayán #popayánco #popayancity #ciudadblanca #popayancauca #drone #dronephoto #photography #creadordecontenido #reelsinstagram #dronevideo #filmmaker #travelphotography #travel ♬ sonido original - Fernando P

@5m3d5a6u

Revive este conmovedor viacrucis en el Batallón Batalla de Juanambú, en Florencia, Caquetá. Nuestros soldados no solo protegen, también viven la fe en el Dios de los ejércitos. Esto merece un ♥️ gigante. ¡Déjales un mensaje de apoyo y gratitud a nuestros héroes! #NuestroCompromisoEsColombia #ViernesSanto #ViajeSeguro

♬ sonido original - Misión Cumplida