Today is Easter, a day of hope. Easter is one of the most important days on the Christian calendar but its message of hope can be shared with all the world, regardless of religion or creed.
In two short verses, Mark chronicled the event being celebrated today:
"And the angel answered and said unto the women, fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
The holiday celebrates the resurrection of God's son, who died for the sins of others. Modern Christian traditions include families dressed in their best clothes attending church services and then gathering for meals and perhaps hiding decorated eggs for the children to find.
The egg has long been identified with new life. Brightly colored eggs, once given to loved ones as gifts, marked the turn of the season in more northern climes from winter to spring and the rebirth of the land.
In a secular sense, Easter - a name taken from Eastre, the ancient Saxon goddess of spring - can represent putting away old, destructive ways to make room for a better self, a better, more peaceful world. The underlying message is particularly poignant today when so much of the world is racked with sectarian violence that threatens the lives of young men and women from Hawaii and the rest of the United States.
Regardless of religious beliefs, everyone should be able to accept a simple fact. Individual human beings share more commonalities than differences and we are all dependent on the health and welfare of each other and of this big blue marble floating in space.
The first step toward realizing the hope embodied in Easter is to put away differences that cause conflict, within yourself, your family, community, island, country and the world. Easter is a day of hope, a day to resurrect and nurture understanding, tolerance and peace.
* Editorials reflect the opinion of the publisher.
