There are three major feast days in the traditional Christian calendar that are affirmed and celebrated by most expressions of the faith — Christmas, Easter and the Day of Pentecost. Two of them, Christmas and Easter, have garnered significant acceptance and celebration by secular society.

Some of us “theological types” are tempted at times to look down our superior and critical noses at the “secularization” or “commercializing” of these holidays. I wonder, however, if we are missing something profound with this supercilious attitude.

We have recently celebrated Easter in our community. So far, I have counted three separate Easter egg hunts that were scheduled last Saturday by non-religious groups for the enjoyment of the children in our community. Stores have been awash for some time with Easter-themed merchandise. And, surely, many families have planned special meals and gatherings for Easter Sunday, after they may or may not have attended church.

Have these and similar activities been “wrong” or without meaning? I do not think so.

Whether it is eggs, baby chicks, lambs or new outfits, the theme behind it all is renewal, or rebirth. The basic theme of Easter, of course, is resurrection, the overcoming of life over perceived death.

It is the promise of One Love (God) that, in spite of all of the horror of painful death and destruction in our world, there is life once again. These many “secular” artifacts are symbols of second chances, new opportunities, of the power of love over cynicism and despair, a truth those of us in faith communities have come know through our own experiences and by sharing them with one another.

We all recognize that life can be difficult at times, and we can be tempted to simply “give up” or “give in.” I am sure that even after the resurrection the disciples and close followers of Jesus felt that way.

It was a time of uncertainty and confusion. They may have thought, “What will Herod or Pilate do now? Will they chase us down and demand to know where the body of Jesus has been taken? Will we be arrested next?”

They did, however, take some hope in the appearances of Jesus in several places but uncertainty remained, at least for a while. Finally, just before Jesus disappeared for the last time, he told them to “wait in the city” till they received “power from on high.” [see Luke 24:49]. And that brings us to another long-standing faith tradition — the Fifty Great Days of Easter.

One of the problems of our celebration of holidays is the challenge to sustain the joy and meaning of the event as we move forward. Easter, resurrection, new life is not only for one day a year in the spring. Rather, we have an invitation to recognize that the potential for new life is around us all the time.

It may take some time to emerge from a period of confusion, but with patience the promise of new power will be fulfilled.

We are now living through Fifty Great Days of Easter, or spring (as much as we get it in Wyoming!) but, hopefully, we will begin see the new life emerging in our midst. Soon the deciduous trees will be budding out, perhaps some daffodils will appear, even some tulips if the deer don’t eat them first!

These along with those “secular” trappings of Easter Day, to say nothing of the several glorious church celebrations that took place last Sunday, will lead us to discover, affirm and live out the good news of love and resurrection each day of our renewed lives.