Oh Happy Day!!!

It happened. I knew it might. It had been building for years. Someone said "Happy Easter," and I just kind of froze. I didn’t know what to say back. Should I just say it too? Would that mean I’m buying into some watered-down tradition or weird mix of Jesus and bunnies?

But if I came back with "Happy Resurrection Day," would that make me sound condescending or holier-than-thou? Like I was trying to correct someone instead of celebrate with them? So I just said, "He is Risen," and immediately wondered—do I wait for them to say, "He is Risen Indeed," or just move on awkwardly?

So... what do we call the day we celebrate the most amazing event in history?

Here’s the thing:

• The word "Easter" is only used in English and German. In German, it's "Ostern"—and both words trace back to old words for east or dawn. Kind of beautiful, actually. Jesus rose at dawn. A new day. A new world.

  
  

In most other languages:

• They call it Pascha, which comes from the Hebrew word Pesach—Passover. Why? Because Jesus rose during Passover week. His death and resurrection were literally fulfilling the Jewish feasts.

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Some people claim that Easter originates from a pagan goddess. That idea comes from an 8th-century monk named Bede, who mentioned a local spring festival named after a goddess called Eostre. But there's no other record of her, so we’re not even sure if she was real. I had heard it was named for “Ishtar,” the ancient goddess, but there is no linguistic or historical evidence that they are connected. 

What we do know is this:

• Jesus was crucified on the 14th of Nisan, the day of Passover.

"Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." – 1 Corinthians 5:7

• He rose on the Feast of Firstfruits (Nisan 16), a day when the first part of the harvest was brought to God as a promise of more to come.

"Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." – 1 Corinthians 15:20

• The early church didn’t see the resurrection as a separate event from Passover—it was the grand finale, the fullfilment of what Passover had always been pointing toward.

"These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." – Colossians 2:17

Plus:

• "He was delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification." – Romans 4:25

  
  

• "He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." – 1 Peter 1:3

  
  

• "I am the Living One. I was dead, and now look—I am alive forever and ever!" – Revelation 1:18

  
  

So what do we call this day? Personally, I like “Resurrection Sunday.” It’s clear. It’s Christ-centered. And it reminds me this day isn’t about spring or tradition—it’s about victory over death.

I’m not gonna judge someone who says “Happy Easter.” If they’re trying to celebrate Jesus rising from the dead, that’s a win. I want to be aligned with the Word and the Spirit, but I don’t want to get caught up in spiritual grammar wars. 

“Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” Col 2:16-17

Let’s not get so tangled in words and origins that we miss the point: Jesus is alive. Death is crushed. The tomb is empty.

Whether you say "Easter," "Pascha," or "Resurrection Day," let’s just make sure we say it with joy, gratitude, and a holy awe and reverence.

Now, about Good Friday... Should it be Thankful Thursday instead? And don’t even get me started on Santa being an anagram of Satan.

Let’s remember that every day, not just one, is a celebration of the Risen One as we worship, pray, give thanks, and declare the Word in communion with God and each other.