Easter Baskets

At last evening’s Easter Vigil service, a guest came with an Easter basket. He is Ukrainian descent, and his basket was a traditional Ukrainian Easter basket: these are wicker baskets that hold a variety of symbolic food stuffs and condiments, with a candle and an embroidered paschal cloth. Each item speaks of God’s grace and mercy and goodness, and tradition is for the baskets to be brought to Easter Sunday services to be blessed by the priest, before being shared with family as the holiday feast.

What a privilege to have been asked to bless this man’s Easter basket tonight – he wasn’t sure he would have time on Sunday to have the priest at the Ukrainian church bless it. I don’t know the traditional blessing, but we prayed together for him, for the contents of the basket, and for the continuance of the celebration of Easter to touch all our hearts. He hugged me in thanks when he left.

The experience left me considering what I might put into an Easter basket, if I were to categorise symbols of God’s goodness in my life. There might be eggs (candy or chicken!) for the symbolism of new birth; coffee for the gift of clarity, and the traditional foods of my own Easter feast (nachos, yum). Perhaps a pen and paper for the writing I enjoy, and the scriptures for how much I love speaking and preaching. Some music, perhaps a novel, and momentos of the relationships I hold dear (a troll doll, a canoe paddle, my soapstone seal). Some dog toys and treats, of course, for my loves. . .

The list could go on. As we celebrate Easter and the promise of new life that we are given, perhaps we can also pause to celebrate this transitory life: for the blessings of God are not withheld from us in the here and now. And asking God to bless these things as we continue to benefit from them keeps us connected to the source and giver of that perfect love.

So… what’s in your basket?