Thought for the Week

This week I’ve been buying a lot more eggs than usual: eggs for Easter assemblies in schools, eggs to paint on Easter Sunday and a wide range of chocolate eggs to give to the younger members of my family.

One of the oldest traditions is to exchange painted eggs around Easter and decorate houses with them, often painted red as a reminder of the blood Christ shed on the cross. However, now this tradition has been overwhelmingly replaced by chocolate.

In the UK around 80million chocolate eggs are sold each year so, although the tradition has changed, it is very much still alive and well.

Eggs represent new life and the chick that breaks out of the shell into living.

At times, like the chick, we can be caught within our own shells: shells of anger, shells of intolerance, shells of greed, shells of pride.

Our shells might form walls that separate us from our family and friend and they are often put up over insignificant issues but it is only when we break out of our shells that we truly experience life.

As you see or eat eggs this Easter take some time to reflect on how you might break down some of the shell around you as life is too short for walls and limits. Eggs also provide a beautiful symbol of the good news celebrated at Easter. Just as the chick hatches out into life so Jesus rose from the grave into resurrected life.

It was through his lovingkindness that we were born again to a new life and have a hope that never dies. This hope is ours because Jesus was raised from the dead.

Easter Sunday: the happy day when death does not need to be feared, life can be celebrated and hope can be grasped. Zoe Ramage Cambuslang and Rutherglen Christian Reachout Trust