A promise of hope
Nate Phillips
Copy Editor
Easter has always been one of my favorite holidays.
As I've grown older, however, I have begun to look at the Easter holiday in a whole new light.
Even though I still enjoy the candy and the break from academics and good ol' South Bend, they pale in comparison to the true message of Easter.
For one, Easter is the beginning of spring and of warm weather. It marks the start of sunny skies and that distinct, fresh and flowery smell of spring. The drab grayness of winter is transformed into a color scheme of lush green and yellow sunlight. Overnight, it seems, flower buds push through the dark soil, and the birds are heard in the trees again.
Easter marks a new beginning. It is vibrant with new life and creates an optimistic hope for the upcoming year.
A rebirth. A fresh beginning.
These naturistic signs of Easter only serve to represent the true meaning behind the holiday. Two thousand years ago, Christ was crucified only to bring us a new beginning and a promise for the future.
This spring season serves to highlight the brilliant Easter message - and the miracle of Christ's resurrection.
In addition to all of our blessings here at Notre Dame, we are infinitely more blessed by the sacrifice of Christ. In His death, we are offered life.
As in the winter, when everything shrivels up and dies, Christ's death indicated a time of darkness and disillusionment.
However, in his infinite love, God took Christ's death and designed a "complex good" from the ashes of our failure.
He used death to create life anew.
Every winter, flowers wilt and die, only to remerge in the Spring to offer us beauty.
In the same way that every year flower buds push towards the sun to hail the beginning of Spring - Christ suffered and died, only to rise again to offer us hope.
Our lives are quick and from time to time it can be hard to maintain optimism amidst our trials and tribulations.
And we live and die.
But through the pain and despite our doubt, we will always be able to see the hope in the message of Easter.
We know that winter will always end, and that during the Easter season the plants and flowers will grow, the skies will turn blue and that the birds will sing.
And we know that in death we will find everlasting life.
Happy Easter, Notre Dame, enjoy your break and see you next week.
All Viewpoint Stories for Wednesday, April 11, 2001
