Easter is not the celebration of the cost of sin, but of its end… The time of Easter is a time of joy, and not of mourning. Look on your risen friend and celebrate his holiness along with me. For Easter is the time of your salvation, along with mine. [CE T-20.I.5]
There is no fear in love. The song of Easter is the glad refrain the Son of God was never crucified. [CE T-20.II.8:7-8]
SUNDAY — EASTER / RESURRECTION
- The earthquake and the angel — an angel descends, rolls away the stone, sits upon it. "His appearance was like lightning, his clothing white as snow." The guards tremble and become like dead men (Matthew 28:2-4)
- The women at the empty tomb — Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, and others come at dawn with spices. They find the stone rolled away, the tomb empty. An angel (or two angels): "He is not here. He is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Go, tell his disciples and Peter" (Matthew 28:5-7 / Mark 16:1-7 / Luke 24:1-8)
- Peter and the Beloved Disciple run to the tomb — the Beloved Disciple arrives first, looks in, sees the linen cloths. Peter enters, sees the cloths and the face cloth folded separately. "He saw and believed" (John 20:1-10)
- Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene — she remains weeping at the tomb. Sees two angels. Turns and sees Jesus but does not recognize him. Jesus: "Mary." She: "Rabboni!" Jesus: "Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and say to them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God'" (John 20:11-18). The Noli me tangere.
- Jesus appears to the other women — they clasp his feet and worship him (Matthew 28:9-10)
- The guard's report — the soldiers tell the chief priests. They are bribed to say the disciples stole the body while they slept (Matthew 28:11-15)
- The road to Emmaus — two disciples walk to Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. Jesus joins them but they do not recognize him. He opens the Scriptures to them, beginning with Moses and all the prophets. At supper, he takes bread, blesses and breaks it — their eyes are opened. He vanishes. "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road?" They return to Jerusalem (Luke 24:13-35)
- Jesus appears to Peter — mentioned but not narrated (Luke 24:34 / 1 Corinthians 15:5)
- Jesus appears to the disciples (Thomas absent) — evening of Easter Sunday. Doors locked for fear. Jesus stands among them: "Peace be with you." Shows them his hands and side. Breathes on them: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven" (John 20:19-23 / Luke 24:36-43)
Resurrection - Resurrection on the third day (Easter).
Appearance to Disciples
- Appearance to Mary Magdalene and other disciples. Doubting Thomas's encounter with the risen Jesus.
The Stations of the Resurrection: Via Lucis (Way of Light)
- Jesus is raised from the dead
- The finding of the empty tomb
- Mary Magdalene meets the risen Jesus
- Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus
- Jesus is known in the breaking of bread
- Jesus appears to the disciples in Jerusalem
- Jesus gives the disciples his peace and the power to forgive sins
- Jesus strengthens the faith of Thomas
- Jesus appears by the Sea of Tiberias
- Jesus forgives Peter and commands him to feed his sheep
- Jesus commissions the disciples upon the mountain
- The Ascension of Jesus
- Mary and the disciples wait in prayer
- The Holy Spirit descends at Pentecost
Other sources, however, including some recent ones, replace some of these Stations with others, such as:
- The earthquake
- The angel appears to the women
- Jesus meets the women
- Jesus meets his mother
- Mary Magdalene proclaims the Resurrection to the disciples
- Jesus and the beloved disciple
- Jesus appears to over five hundred at once
- Jesus appears to Saul
the true meaning of Easter, that nothing can destroy truth” (T-3.III.8:1). This, says the Course, is the pivotal demonstration of the central truth of life. Jesus calls it “the final demonstration that all of the other lessons which I taught are true” (T-3.III.8:4).
The resurrection demonstrated that nothing can destroy truth. ²Good can withstand any form of evil, because light abolishes all forms of darkness. ³The Atonement is thus the perfect lesson. ⁴It is the final demonstration that all of the other lessons which I taught are true. [CE T-3.III.8:1-4]
Such is your Eastertide. ²And so you lay the gift of snow-white lilies on the world, replacing witnesses to sin and death. ³Through your transfiguration is the world redeemed and joyfully released from guilt. ⁴Now do we lift our resurrected minds in gladness and in gratitude to Him Who has restored our sanity to us. [CE W-151.16]
26 He has remembered you. ²Today you will remember Him. ³For this is Eastertime in your salvation, and you rise again from what was seeming death and hopelessness. ⁴Now is the light of hope reborn in you, for now you come without defense to learn the part for you within the plan of God. [CE W-135.26:1-4]
1 This is Palm Sunday, the celebration of victory and the acceptance of the truth. ²Let us not spend this holy week brooding on the crucifixion of God’s Son, but happily in the celebration of his release. ³For Easter is the sign of peace, not pain. ⁴A slain Christ has no meaning. ⁵But a risen Christ becomes the symbol of the Son of God’s forgiveness upon himself; the sign he looks upon himself as healed and whole. [CE T-20.I.1]
3 Offer each other the gift of lilies, not the crown of thorns; the gift of love, and not the “gift” of fear. ²You stand beside each other, thorns in one hand and lilies in the other, uncertain which to give. ³Join now with me and throw away the thorns, offering the lilies to replace them. ⁴This Easter I would have the gift of your forgiveness, offered by you to me and returned by me to you. ⁵We cannot be united in crucifixion and in death. ⁶Nor can the resurrection be complete till your forgiveness rests on Christ, along with mine. [CE T-20.I.3]
³Look on your brother, and see in him the gift of God you would receive. ⁴It is almost Easter, the time of resurrection. ⁵Let us give redemption to each other and share in it, that we may rise as one in resurrection, and not separate in death. [CE T-19.IV.D.17:3-5]
This is the way to Heaven and to the peace of Easter, in which we join in glad awareness that the Son of God is risen from the past and has awakened to the present. ²Now is he free, unlimited in his communion with all that is within him. ³Now are the lilies of his innocence untouched by guilt and perfectly protected from the cold chill of fear and withering blight of sin alike. ⁴Your gift has saved him from the thorns and nails, and his strong arm is free to guide you safely through them and beyond. ⁵Walk with him now rejoicing, for the savior from illusion has come to greet you and lead you home with him. [CE T-20.II.10]
The Crown of Thorns & The Crown of Light
"I promised you that the crown of thorns has been removed. That you are now free to remember your innocence. Easter is your birthday. Easter is a time to celebrate that the crown of thorns has been removed. You are no longer to be identified as the crown of thorns. The crown of thorns is the symbol of your egoic mind. And on this day of rebirth, you are no longer to be identified as the crown of thorns, but rather as the crown of light. This crown of light is your true identity.” - WoM: Lesson 1 of The Way of Transformation
The Empty Tomb
Empty Tomb Myrrhbearers at the Tomb