Every Easter, my husband and I purchase an Easter Lily at the church in loving memory of our son. The Easter Lily is a symbol of hope, purity, peace, and innocence. It is a biblical flower that is associated with the resurrection of Christ.
The Easter lily is a beautiful reminder of the significance of the Easter season. In the Christian tradition, this flower signifies rebirth and a new beginning. It has been said that white lilies sprang up in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus wept before Judas betrayed him. Lilies are mentioned frequently throughout the Bible. Today, Easter Lilies beautify churches and homes as a symbol of purity, joy, hope, and life each spring.
As I reflect on Easter, my favorite holiday, I find the greatest joy. When I think about the suffering that Jesus Christ experienced on the cross, I find comfort in knowing that He rose out of the grave three days after He died and is alive. His resurrection gives me great hope as Thomas’ mother. I am very thankful that there is life after death. Because of the resurrection, I have hope that I will be able to spend eternity with my son in heaven.
It amazes me that every life experience cycles. A plant, like the beautiful Easter Lily, starts out as a seed that germinates and grows. When the plant matures, it produces flowers. The flowers are fertilized, and they produce seeds. Eventually, the plant dies, seeds fall to the ground and the process starts over.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”[1] Like a seed, the human body dies, but that does not mark the end of it. In Christ, our bodies will have a new beginning because they are raised to life by God. Our life in Christ is like the plant life cycle, there is both death and new life.
A lesson that I am learning as I reflect on this Easter season is that joy can be found in life after death. Just like a plant dies, seeds fall to the ground and new life begins. Like a seed, the human body dies, but that does not mark the end of it. The Easter Lily signifies rebirth and a new beginning, like the resurrection of Christ. In Christ, our bodies will have a new beginning. They will be raised to life by God because Jesus promises to give those who believe in him eternal life.[2]
Tags: Easter, Easter Lily, Life After Death, Eternal Life
[1]John 12:23-25
[2]John 3:16