Photo by Bahador on Unsplash

Christians are good at celebrating Easter. Festive worship, joyful music, egg hunts for children, family gatherings. And the best story in the world: new life out of death. The Easter message truly is something to celebrate. And it doesn’t have nearly as many societal pressures for perfection as Christmas, not to mention shopping for gifts.

Easter is worth a lot more than one day a year, in my book. The church calendar allots seven Sundays, not just one, leading up to Pentecost. Liturgical churches talk about the “Great 50 Days,” a season of 50 days from Easter Eve to Pentecost.

So I have a suggestion: Find something to celebrate every day of those 50 days. It may be more of a challenge this year when many churches are cancelling services. What’s to celebrate, if we can’t gather together? What’s to celebrate, when everyone is anxious about what to do now and what is coming? What’s to celebrate, when some are ill and some are dying?

Here are 20 celebration suggestions (some inspired by the challenge of COVID-19 and others not):

1. The Easter message is a perfect one for this time of uncertainty and even death.
2. Technology makes keeping connection much easier.
3. Scientists are researching the ways to understand and deal with COVID-19.
4. Flowers are blooming (in some parts of the country) and will soon bloom in others.
5. We have a spiritual connection with Christians around the world at this time and all times.
6. What you have gained in your life of faith is available to you now, no matter your circumstances.
7. There is “so great a cloud of witnesses” surrounding us. (Hebrews 12:1)
8. We can pray for people whether we can see them or not.
9. Chocolate eggs (and they are half price after Easter).
10. The health you do have (even if you have health challenges of any kind).
11. Someone (more than one person) gave birth to a baby today.
12. Any part of your body that works well.
13. The food you are about to eat.
14. The Internet.
15. The public library.
16. The chance to learn something new.
17. The person in front of you.
18. The person who just annoyed you and what they are teaching you right now.
19. The person you love the most.
20. The person who first taught you to wash your hands.

(Only 30 more to think up….)

Churches can take on the same challenge and find 50 things to celebrate about their life. Here’s one to start with: Celebrate all the worship services you have held in the past, even if you are not gathering for Easter this year.

I recommend you increase your Easter celebration this year of all years. Read and reread the Scripture texts of resurrection hope. Listen to your favorite music. Sing an Easter song while you wash your hands. Take these 50 days and go all out. 

And when we reach Pentecost, we’ll have yet another reason to keep celebrating.