Start the Party!

What a rich, rich, Easter weekend.

It started on Good Friday night when we pondered the wood of the Cross, on which was hung the world’s salvation.

On Saturday, we watched a joyous festival of art, music and theatre that took us through the stories of the Old Testament that point to Christ, our Savior.

Then on Sunday our family gathered with friends at a 6AM service to exclaim and proclaim, “Christ is RISEN! He has RISEN INDEED!” And just like we had experienced before, this all-out worship party was complete with baptisms, dancing, Holy Communion and ringing the bells.

That’s always been my favorite part. Ringing the bells.

Historically, the ringing bells of the Easter Mass—what some call the Holy Noise—proclaim that our Savior rose from the grave and defeated our sin. And when we join in, ringing bells, too, we contribute to the joyful noise that celebrates our freedom and declares loudly to the world the ultimate triumph over death. The bells announce to anyone who’ll listen, the ultimate miracle of new life in Christ.

Tambourines, jingle-bells, car-keys, sleigh bells, cymbals, and cowbells. You name it. I look forward to it every year.

Jesus said that he came to give us life. Abundant life. And each year at this Easter party I believe it again as we mark it with absolute jubilation and victory.

But this also strikes me year after year: There are so many people who don’t even know about the party. And I’m not talking about just this one celebration service in my hometown, I’m talking about the fact that, in general, they’re not ringing any bells, they’re not celebrating…there is no party. They are still living in a dark Good Friday world, still asleep in a tomb.

And I’ve not helped them wake up.

Have you?

So this day after Easter, I’m asking each one of us to consider:

What we are doing to get the party started for somebody else.
How we are announcing to the world the ultimate miracle of new life in Christ.
And if, at all, our lives are ringing any bells proclaiming freedom and good news.

Together, let’s make a joyful noise and help somebody wake up.

Pamela Klein
Editor, On Q