How To Celebrate The Fifty Days

The current renewal of Easter (Pascha) has not only recovered the festal character of Sunday and of the special events of the Christian year, but the celebratory character of the entire season. This article challenges the church to make pascha a full fifty-day experience of Resurrection joy.

A Week of Sundays: Celebrating the Great Fifty Days Celebrating Easter for fifty days is a Christian practice almost as ancient as the annual observance of Easter. Almost as soon as Christians began observing an annual feast in honor of Christ's resurrection, they extended the celebration for fifty days, or seven weeks. Moreover, this "Great Fifty Days," as it is sometimes called, predated the observance of a day of Pentecost by nearly two hundred years. In fact, the term Pentecost was first used by Christians to refer to this seven-week period as a unit: "the Pentecost," or the fifty days. It was only later that the term was applied to the fiftieth day, at which time then the fifty days was called the Easter season. The importance of this period for the ancient church is reflected in the language used by early writers when speaking of it, and the practices which their comments reveal. Tertullian refers to the period, which he called the Pentecost, as a laetissimum spatium, a "most joyous space", in which it is especially fitting that baptisms take place. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, wrote an annual "Festal Letter" to the churches in which he announced the date of Easter, which "extends its beams, with unobscured grace, to all the seven weeks of holy Pentecost." In every letter Athanasius emphasizes the centrality of the Easter observance for Christians, speaking of the fifty days especially as a time of joy and fulfillment: "But let us now keep the feast, my beloved, not as introducing a day of suffering but of joy in Christ, in whom we are fed every day." It was, quite simply, a "Great Sunday" which lasted for seven weeks, a week of Sundays, wherein the church celebrated on a large scale the resurrection of Christ. "All of Pentecost," writes Basil of Caesarea, "reminds us of the resurrection which we await in the other world." This festal Sunday character of the period was expressed in the extension of Sunday practices to all fifty days, such as replacing the Lenten fast with the paschal feast, replacing penitential kneeling with prayers while standing and the singing of alleluias. All of this would be of only historic interest to us today were it not for the fact that all of the contemporary reformed calendars from the 1969 Roman calendar to that assumed by the compilers of the Common Lectionary restore this fifty-day period in the church year. These calendars and lectionaries designate the Sundays "of Easter" rather than "after Easter" and they employ Scripture texts that bear witness to the essential unity of this period of the church year. However, having reformed calendars and lectionaries—while it is a beginning toward a restoration of the ancient paschal observance—is not enough in itself. Books and resources must come to expression in our Sunday worship, resulting in assemblies that bear fruit in transformed communities and lives. Otherwise, we have done nothing but satisfy the nostalgia of a few liturgical scholars. The difficult question then is how would the observance of the Great Fifty Days look in a congregation not of the ancient past but of the present day? What are the challenges of observing such a celebration, and what are the values? The Challenge of the Fifty Days We must acknowledge that the celebration of this season presupposes certain practices that are by no means common to average churches. First, the season of feast presumes a preceding season of fast. An intentional congregational observance of Lent as a time of self-examination, disciplines, and renewal sets the stage for the festivity of Easter. Further, the presence of catechumens during Lent, who bear evangelical witness to the congregation, provides the baptismal framework that keeps the observance of the annual celebration of the resurrection of Christ from becoming a mere historical reminiscence. Third, as is evident from the quotations from early Christian writers, the strength of the season of celebration depends upon the presence of a community that is able to celebrate the Resurrection on a weekly basis, for whom the event of the Resurrection is not the past remembered but a present reality recognized and celebrated. There is some reason to ask whether any of these presuppositions can be granted in most congregations, in which baptisms are casual and occasional, Lenten discipline at best is an optional, individual exercise, and Sunday is the end of the weekend, not the first day of the new creation. However, it might be that a better grasp of the inter-connection of baptismal practice and its preparation, the resurrection message of the Lord's Day, and the celebration of the annual paschal fast and feast would strengthen the observance of each one, and that beginning with a celebration of the fifty days is as good a place to start as any. Accordingly, we will look at the characteristic theological themes of this period as observed in the early church, the way in which those themes are expressed in the Scripture texts chosen for this season in the Common Lectionary, and finally some specific practices that are suggested by the themes and texts themselves. The Character of the Season The entire season, as we have seen, was but an extension of the Lord's Day celebration. Sunday is not, as is so commonly said, a "little Easter"; Easter (as spread out over seven weeks) is a "big Sunday." Its theme, therefore, is the theme of every Lord's Day: the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and his life-giving presence in the community through the power of the Spirit. By the time of the development of the Easter season, this central theme was expressed by emphasis on the new creation in Christ. On the Lord's Day, and therefore during the period of the "Great Sunday," the eschatological hope of Christians was partially realized. The One whose return was longed for was present in the midst of the community; the liturgy itself provided for the community a foretaste of the anticipated reign of Christ. The prevailing atmosphere was one of joy in the presence of Christ and freedom within his reign. (See Patrick Regan, "The Fifty Days and the Fiftieth Day," in Worship 55 [1981]: 194–218.) This realized eschatology expressed itself in several powerful actions in the liturgy. First, there was great emphasis on the feast. The Paschal feast was the prototypical Christian feast, prepared for by the preceding Lenten fast. Mindful of Jesus' saying that the wedding guest do not fast when the bridegroom is with them (Mark 2:19), the early church forbade fasting during the fifty days, a period full of the presence of Christ. Positively, the church recalled the post-resurrection meals of Christ with his disciples and behaved accordingly. Second, the church prayed standing during this period, as a physical sign of the Resurrection and of the dignity that comes from participation in the reign of Christ. Standing, as opposed to kneeling, also gave physical expression to the joy characteristic of this season. Third, the singing of "alleluia," which had been curtailed during Lent, marked the community's participation in the heavenly liturgy during the Easter season and was a further sign of the joy of the church in the presence of the risen Christ. Finally, in some places, post-baptismal training in the form of mystagogical catechesis, or instruction in the mysteries of the faith, took place during part of this season, usually the first week. Thus there is also a practice that bears witness to the revelation of the mysteries of God to God's people, as well as a continuation of the baptismal character of the Lenten season. The Biblical Texts The lectionary texts for this season, for all three years of the three-year cycle, are drawn primarily from the Acts of the apostles and the Gospel of John. By replacing the Old Testament reading with readings from Acts, the lectionary attests that this period is the time of the church. In particular, these readings emphasize the evangelical nature of the church's faith. The Gospel readings from John are revelatory concerning the nature of the risen Christ. The second reading for each of the three years is taken from 1 Peter (Year A), 1 John (Year B), or Revelation (Year C). A review of the readings for the seven weeks for all three years reveals several prominent themes which in turn suggest possible liturgical and other congregational expressions. The presence of the risen Christ is a prominent theme through the season. Particular Sundays bring up different aspects of this reality. For example, the third Sunday of Easter includes an account of one of Jesus' post-resurrection meals with his disciples (in Year A, Luke 24:13–35; in Year C, John 21:1–19). The fifth Sunday, in Years A and B, includes Jesus' "I am" sayings, which bear witness to the revelation of the risen Christ. The fourth Sunday is always "Good Shepherd" Sunday, with the use of Psalm 23 and a portion of the "Good Shepherd" discourse from John 10. Here the tension between the suffering Christ and the reigning, risen Christ is particularly sharp, especially in the Revelation text for Year C, where the Lamb who was slain is also the Shepherd. The seventh Sunday reveals Jesus as High Priest with the use of his high-priest prayer in John 17. A second prominent theme of the season is the presence and work of the Holy Spirit. These texts make it clear that the Holy Spirit is present in the church before the fiftieth day through the use of texts from the Acts of the apostles. Peter's sermons, Saul's conversion, healings by the apostles in Jesus' name, and the unity of the church all are presented by the writer of Acts as signs of the active presence of the Spirit in the church. Moreover, the gospel texts for the second Sunday and the sixth Sunday emphasize the presence of the Spirit with the use of the Johannine interpretation of the giving of the Spirit by Jesus to his disciples in John 14–15 and 20. The second Sunday in particular always includes the John 20 text, with its account of the appearance of the risen Christ to the disciples and to "doubting" Thomas and Christ's bestowing of the Spirit by breathing on them. A third prominent theme of this period is the nature of the baptismal life. The texts from Acts, of course, bear witness to the mission of the community of the baptized to preach and to heal and to form believers into evangelical communities. Texts from Revelation emphasize the ethos of praise that characterizes the community of the faithful both on earth and before the throne of the Lamb. Readings from 1 John especially draw attention to the Christian ethic of love as an essential characteristic of the baptized believer, while 1 Peter provides running commentary on the demands and the blessings of the new life of those who have been made "God's people." The presence of the risen Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, and the significance of the baptismal life are the fundamental themes that permeate the texts for the Easter season. They are, of course fundamental themes of all of Christian worship, since they are at the foundation of the Christian faith. Practical Considerations These fundamental biblical themes in turn direct our attention to fundamental Christian liturgical practices: baptism and confirmation, the eucharistic meal, proclamation of the Resurrection, and joyful singing. The baptismal character of the entire paschal season suggests a myriad of possible practices. Following a Lenten preparation for baptism or its renewal, the Easter season provides the opportunity to assimilate new members into the congregation's life and to celebrate the renewal of the baptism of all. Environmentally, this means keeping the lighted paschal candle and baptismal font prominently displayed during the fifty days, and seeing to it that the church is dressed in its finest. Although the use of white, perhaps trimmed with gold and red, is common during this period, the color used is less important than that the environment as a whole bear witness to the joy of the season. The use of textiles and art which reflect the best of the local culture might be more fitting than satins and brocades. Ritually, the newly baptized should be prayed for by name in the intercessions during this period as a sign of the community's support of their new life in Christ. Teaching and preaching might appropriately include attention to the meaning of baptismal life, which would be addressed to the entire community of the faithful. Many of the texts assigned to this season provide ample basis for such preaching. If the congregation is very large, the inclusion of new members in small groups for study, prayer, and mission would be important and might begin during this period. If the congregation is small, an all-church dinner in honor of all those who have joined the congregation since last Easter is appropriate during this period (perhaps on Pentecost Sunday) and also has the advantage of enacting another theme of the season: the risen Christ's meals with his disciples. Of course, if baptisms have not been part of the Easter Vigil, or if there are too many candidates to be conveniently included in the vigil, any Sunday during the Great Fifty Days is, as Tertullian noted, a "most joyous space" for baptisms. Many of the texts contain specific references to baptism and the Spirit, as already noted, and would provide a most appropriate occasion. Likewise confirmation (if separated from baptism) as well as congregational baptismal renewal would be most fitting during this period. The eucharistic character of the Easter season can hardly be ignored. The emphasis both on the presence of the risen Christ and the extension of the paschal feast as a kind of post-Resurrection meal with him seems to demand the celebration of the Lord's Supper weekly during this great Lord's Day. Such practice, of course presumes a shift in eucharistic piety, away from the penitential medieval focus of the Crucifixion to a more ancient emphasis on joyful Resurrection meal. If this shift seems drastic for a congregation (as well it might), preparation might take place during Lent, in the form of a study of some of the diverse emphases which have been associated with the holy meal over the centuries. Beyond the weekly celebration of the Eucharist, the festal character of the season is well expressed in the form of noneucharistic meals as well, such as church dinners or agape meals. The missional character of the season might be expressed in the congregation preparing meals for the homeless of that congregation's neighborhood or city. The resources of the lectionary for preaching on the themes of the period have already been mentioned, and in particular the value of preaching on baptismal life. This is a concern primarily, if not exclusively, however, of the preacher. The responsibility of the community to witness to the Resurrection might take the form of social action or social service. The transformation engendered by the Resurrection is not limited to personal or even congregational transformation, but is social and cultural as well. The congregation has a particular obligation to identify the needs of the community in which it resides, and to address those needs as a form of proclamation of the gospel. The season of joy is best expressed in the use of joyous music. To sing for joy is a most natural human reaction, and in this season above all others this reaction should be fostered and encouraged. Trained musicians will want to perform the most joyous music that they are able, but such performance must never stifle the congregation's confidence in its own ability to sing for joy to God. Nor do singing and other forms of music needs to be limited to the liturgy (although the liturgy during this season especially should be richly musical). Concerts, hymn-sings, and musical events of all kinds can give further expression to the "alleluia" character of the Easter season.