16 Apr A Word From Dr. Satterly—April 17, 2025
Dear WA Community,
Holidays come with trappings and traditions. July 4 and fireworks. Memorial Day and flags. Thanksgiving and turkey. Christmas and … well, all of it. Easter has bunnies and eggs. Each of these symbols has come to represent the tenor and tone of the holiday—they help with identity.
When I was a boy, no one told me that Easter eggs were said to symbolize the resurrection of Jesus, or that in the early Church, they were often painted red, capturing the idea of Jesus’ sacrifice. Perhaps I would have willingly participated in the egg coloring ritual if I knew that. All I knew was that colored eggs smelled like vinegar, and before we went to church, each of us kids got an Easter basket—usually with a hollow chocolate bunny and jelly beans. I still have no idea what exactly a jelly bean is or why someone would prefer it over chocolate, but I am sure there are jelly bean fans who would argue the point.
Regardless, it was kind of shortsighted to present children with a basket full of candy that couldn’t be eaten until after Easter lunch, which came after church. Maybe it was to teach us about delayed gratification, but I doubt it. We were usually able to sneak a couple of small chocolate eggs to enjoy during church; perhaps there is a lesson in that, too. I didn’t really get the point of an Easter egg hunt either.
Tradition and memories to one side, Easter ought to count for more than egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, and stylish hats. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes the case for the significance of the resurrection, concluding with “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” Easter is the celebration of Jesus offering His sinless life as a sacrifice for us and then conquering death. The Easter Egg represents the empty tomb! This changes everything. As Christians, we must sing hallelujah! For God did not leave us in our sin without remedy. I’ll color an egg for that!
Easter must still carry some meaning because many people attend church only twice yearly—Christmas and Easter. I think they are called “Christears.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “He (God) has set eternity in the hearts of men.” I think that is what draws so many to church on Easter—the Imago Dei draws and compels us to see the empty tomb. Easter is about surety—there is a way back home. It is about the hope found in an empty tomb.
He has risen. He has risen, indeed.
Blessings,
Dr. Joel Satterly
Headmaster