The first parade I remember being in was around our neighborhood advertising Daily Vacation Bible School and passing out literature inviting children to come. Some decorated their bikes and wagons and church bus and around the blocks we went.

When I was in High School our band had a special invitation by the organizers of the Hudson's Thanksgiving Day parade in Detroit.  It was important that we looked good. We didn't have enough people to fill all the rows, so in order to look good to the audience we got some students who didn't know how to play an instrument but marched with us with horns in their mouths not tooting a note. They didn't play but they looked good for the national TV cameras. Every member was in uniform. We were all marching together with the feet coming down at the same time. We were supposed to be in straight lines. But unfortunately, the mounted police preceded us down Woodward Avenue.  Some adjustments needed to be made.            

One of the big events today in New York City is the annual Easter parade. I saw it once on tv and wasn’t too impressed. It started here after the Civil War.  People walk down 5th Avenue in front of the St Patrick’s Cathedral and show off their new clothes and hats. But through the years people would get more extreme in their hats and dresses and try to outdo one another.  Now there are colors, and costumes, bunnies, candy, music and dancing with crowds of people. Typically, it is a somewhat informal and unorganized event, without religious significance. The more outlandish it has become the more offensive it seems as if Easter is all about dressing up. Easter is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.            

This week is such a week, where the mixture of emotions goes from the exuberance of Palm Sunday and the crowds that must have followed not only Sunday but Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday through the streets of Jerusalem--- to the intimacy of the Last Supper on Thursday. We review the praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by Judas with a kiss. We remind ourselves of the 5 trials before Annas, then Caiaphas, then Pilate and Herod and back to Pilate again.  And then we find Jesus being nailed between the two thieves at Calvary. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took and buried the body of Jesus in a new tomb. Today we honor the fact that stone in front of the tomb was rolled away, and Jesus came to life again conquering death. He gives us hope beyond the grave to all who put their faith in him. This is a time of celebration. We commemorate the victory of Jesus Christ over death.  Jesus beat Satan. The power of Satan has been defeated.  Christianity sprang up overnight with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

A parade has some elements in it. There is usually a crowd of people watching other go on by. Many times there is a grand Marshall who is honored in the parade. Sometimes there are floats, but usually there are people and things to see as they pass by the crowds.

With various activities going on remember the joy today to celebrate not only the resurrection of Jesus but the vicory that is ours over death and sin.

Happy Resurrection Day!