Easter is a lot different for me now than it was when I was little. As a child, we spent weeks preparing for Easter in a large number of ways including special foods, fasting, confession, attendance at many special church services, Easter crafts, visits to the Easter bunny, buying new clothes, dressing up, and celebrating with family members. Easter was only second to Christmas when it came to special yearly events.
Since then the connections to our religious upbringing has changed a lot. Many, like me, became disenchanted with the churches of our childhood because of the church's refusal to modernize particularly when it comes to the rights and lives of women--in too many ways, women are second-class citizens in the Catholic Church and this is probably the single reason why I've become disillusioned with the church of my childhood. I also don't like the way the church dealt with the sexual abuse crisis as well as their support for bogus political candidates and causes. That said, there's much about my childhood religion that I continue to value and adore. For example, I love the example of Jesus Christ, an example that gives all of us a mighty positive challenge. I also love the connections to spirituality and caring for one another, and I know it's valuable to have cultural centers and institutions that bring people together in positive ways to love and care for one another. No religion is perfect, and almost all organized religions have both positive and not-so-positive characteristics.
So as Easter 2025 comes around, I will keep the main focus of love, caring for one another, doing what is right and good, and seeking positivity in life alive. I'm looking forward to celebrating with family members too. Onward.
