The Easter season is a celebratory time for Christians to focus on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This year, Feb. 13 is Mardi Gras, a time of celebration before the fasting of Lent. This begins with Ash Wednesday, where palms are burned and blessed to prepare for the 40 days before Easter celebrations.
“The most important part about Easter for me is resurrection Sunday, Christ died and redeemed all of us and through that we are made more righteous in God’s eyes,” said Jack Harlan, biology sophomore and Impact 2018 co-chair. “Through Easter Sunday, I know I am freed from my sins through the freedom of Christ and I can find joy in sharing Christ’s love with anyone.”
Harlan said that as a child, he didn’t understand the significance of what he was celebrating. His family would do an egg hunt for fun but it wasn’t until he was a teenager, when he developed a personal relationship with Christ, that it became more significant to him.
Sports management junior Jessica Todd said for Mardi Gras her family would buy a king cake and devour it; whoever got the baby in their piece of cake has luck for the year. On Ash Wednesday, she said she attends early morning Mass so she can have the ash with her for the whole day.
“Lent is a time where you focus on your faith and come together with others to think of how you want to essentially live better lives for the Lord,” Todd said. “Palm Sunday is my favorite part of Easter because we finally are celebrating the coming of Jesus.”
Health sophomore Amy Lucroy is a non-denominational Christian who said she feels that going to church is important for personal worship, especially during the Easter season.
“The messages [during Easter] are always so powerful,” Lucroy said. “They talk about underestimating what Jesus did for us. He came back to life. Easter really allows for focusing on the crucifixion and how impactful it was at the time.”
Lucroy said that on Easter, her family would wake up and immediately see the eggs in the yard. Her grandma would buy her a new special dress for each Easter to wear to church. After Mass, they would come back home, pray and then get to do the Easter egg hunt. When she got older, they started doing treasure hunts instead.
“My grandma would write a Christian Bible verse and leave clues for me to find a treasure at the end, it usually was candy and a new book for me to read,” Lucroy said.
Todd said growing up, her and her siblings would have an Easter egg hunt in the front yard and naturally, it turned into a sibling rivalry. Some eggs only had candy but others were filled with money, so they would fight to see who could get the best eggs.
“I think as a kid I didn’t have any idea what [the Easter season] was about, but I now I am stronger in my faith and it’s become something of my own,” Todd said.