April 25, 2025
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Write Team: What is all this about Easter?

By Rodney Verdine, Write Team

RODNEY VERDINE I grew up as one of five brothers in Wautoma, Wis. Graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville with a degree in criminal justice, emphasis in corrections. I recently retired after just short of 38 years with the 13th Judicial Circuit. I followed my wife to Ottawa. She was an engineer at IDOT, now retired. My love of writing is mainly with the Write Team. I am often asked when I will be in the paper again between times on the Write Team and complimented on columns that I have written. I first wrote for the Team many years ago, however most times after my mandatory six months off between being on a team, I still feel there is something I would like the public to know. I hope to share my “wisdom,” or at least, recent experiences with exploring retirement in a few columns, as I have noticed retirement is often a difficult adjustment for men in our society.

A question – like the one in the headline – would have drawn another question when I was young. It would have been something like, “Are you kidding?”

That meaning, everyone knows about Easter, why are you even asking? Things are much different now. So, let me answer some modern-day questions about Easter.

First, what is it all about? Easter is the day when Jesus rose from death after three days. This to Christians is a proof that it is possible and that faith in Him will make the same possible for us.

Now, let us explore other happenings and traditions that are based around Easter. You may have heard the term Lent. Lent is the 40 days before Easter Sunday (not counting Sundays). It starts on Ash Wednesday. On this day you may have seen people in public with crosses on their foreheads made with ashes. You see this less these days than in the past. Traditionally the ashes are from palm fronds that are used the year before at a Palm Sunday Service and later burned. More about Palm Sunday later.

Originally Lent was only meant to be followed by those preparing to be baptized, but eventually it was meant for the whole church.

The day before Ash Wednesday in some traditions is referred to as Fat Tuesday. This name comes from celebration and eating before Lent, as another tradition is for people to give up a food or behavior during Lent. A Polish delicacy that you might encounter on Fat Tuesday is a paczki, which is a large pastry filled with either a fruit filling or a pudding-like cream filling. Get them quick because it is a very short time that they are available.

Back to Palm Sunday. It is the Sunday before Easter. The title comes from when Jesus was riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, the crowds along his path cut palm branches and laid them on the path. They also shouted things that said that He was the Savior that was to come to save the people and generally gladly welcomed Him.

This would not last long, as a short time later the people were yelling to crucify Him rather than a notorious criminal.

For more info on Easter you can read the last few chapters in the New Testament of the Bible in the four books that are referred to as the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.)

Now here are some things about Easter that I do not believe they have anything to do with the Bible. The word Easter, Easter baskets, Easter egg hunts and Easter bonnets. If you are generally interested in things in the Bible, there is a group that meets 1:30 p.m. at the YMCA on Tuesdays. It is called Q place-for questions I assume.

I am told there is another Q place group that also meets there but I am unsure of the time.

I hope this was helpful if you had questions about Easter or just wondered what it was about.

  • Rodney Verdine is retired as the assistant director at the La Salle County Detention Home, but also had been a probation officer. He can be reached at newsroom@mywebtimes.com
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