“South Africans are the people of Easter”

Easter and the Jewish Passover are commonly misunderstood as being one and the same religious festivity called by the same name.

Easter is identified with Christianity. There is no Easter without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the one who died and rose again.

People with inquiring minds ask about the relevance and meaning of the Easter festivity. For Christians, Easter justifies the celebration of Sunday as a day of worship and the first day of the week.

For Christians, Easter is a source of inspiration, a magnificent period for spiritual reflection. It is a time for clergy to recommit themselves to their calling, listen to the Word of God and apply it to herald the message, “Whom shall I send?”

Christians from all walks of life come together to celebrate communion, marking the resurrection of Christ, who died and rose from the dead, according to Saint Luke (Luke 24:6-7).

The festivities of Easter are at the heart of the Christian faith. On 4 July 1994, the former president of the South African Council of Churches (SACC), the Right Reverend Dr Mgojo Khoza, once said: “… South Africans are the people of Easter and people of the resurrection.” For Christians, the Easter message symbolises victory over death and the darkness that, in some inexplicable way, covered Calvary.

That darkness smothered the light. During that moment of agony, our Lord was on the cross, deeply involved in the struggles surrounding Him. To everyone’s surprise, during those hours of strife, Christ still spoke words of forgiveness for His crucifiers. Three hours later, the natural light returned. This miracle teaches us not to be swayed by temporary hardships.

The climax of darkness should not drive us to despair and pessimism, which currently affect many people enduring pain and suffering. All these will come to pass. The seven words became a turning point for the Christian faith. For Christ to grant a sinner paradise while enduring excruciating pain and anguish, assuring him of a place of honour beside God’s throne in heaven, was a mystery.

The Easter message resonates and remains relevant to contemporary society as we continue to endure hardships in this world. A theologian and liturgist, Father Bruce Jenneker from St George’s Cathedral in Cape Town, reflected on what he called “The Great Vigil of Easter”. He draws from Egeria, where we learn that as early as the Fourth Century, the celebration of the resurrection in Jerusalem began with a candle lit in the Holy Sepulchre.

The candle was brought out during the night of Easter Eve with the words, “The light of Christ.” The ceremony was unique to the first celebration of Easter and soon spread throughout the Christian Church.

Early Christians continued the use of light in dark places as a symbol of the resurrection. Having learnt that Easter ushers in the light of Christ and rekindles Christian faith, there is a great need during this period for a new spirit of praise and worship to descend upon a Christ-centred church.

The church should continue spiritual warfare and give assurance to those who believe in the Word of God. By uttering words of forgiveness, the crucified Christ demonstrated that love is patient and kind. He showed that love should not demand its own way, is not irritable and keeps no record of wrongs.

We must use this period to seize the moral initiative and find creative alternatives to violence tearing society and families apart. 

Love and forgiveness assert our humanity and dignity as people of faith. The spirit of forgiveness should be rekindled, teaching us to respond to negativity and ridicule with forgiving hearts.

Imagine Christ on the cross for three hours, mocked and insulted. Yet He took control of the situation and led His persecutors towards repentance. He teaches His followers to remain resolute and stand their ground for what is right. His words of kindness broke the cycle of humiliation and taught us not to submit to the inferior standards of this world.

The spirit of Easter should encourage Christians to continue exposing injustice without fear or favour. Standing for the truth is a virtue in a world filled with turmoil. Those who believe they are powerful may be blinded by creed, yet through humility Christ used forgiveness to influence His crucifiers’ actions. The soldiers who mocked Him and divided His clothes did not cause Him to stoop to their level.

We read that the centurion was terrified (Matthew 27:54) and later beat his breast and went away (Luke 23:48). This demonstrates that, regardless of opposition, with Christ victory is certain. This miracle was reinforced by the empty tomb on the third day, Sunday morning, symbolising new life. It was mission accomplished.

As we prepare for Easter, we must acknowledge that many Christians around the world face perplexity, pain and fear caused by geopolitical tensions and advancing military technologies, such as drones and computerised artillery. The spirit of Easter should inspire people of goodwill to continue calling for world peace.

The risen Christ taught us not to allow suffering to dampen our spirits. The power of the cross should compel leaders to reconsider reliance on weaponry to resolve conflicts.

Christ gave us glimpses of the purpose of suffering. In Luke 22:24–38, Saint Luke continues his account of the Last Passover meal Christ shared with His disciples.

We celebrate the Last Supper, or Holy Communion, as the symbol of the new covenant established through Christ’s blood (Hebrews 13:20). Christ teaches that those who are faithful will inherit His kingdom, joy and glory. I wish all adherents of the Christian faith meaningful spiritual renewal.

Those who remain silent during this time risk undermining the meaning of the atonement. I call on all Christians and people of goodwill to draw courage from Christ’s sacrifice and challenge injustice, particularly the suffering of women and children displaced by war.

If we remain silent, we will be disobedient to the imperatives of our faith and compromise the message of Easter. Let us stand in solidarity with those affected by violence and conflict.

Reverend Gift Moerane is a South African clergyman, political figure and community leader known for his roles as the former executive mayor of the Emfuleni Local Municipality (appointed in 2019) and as a provincial leader of the South African Council of Churches (SACC).