#14 - Easter Unwrapped

Easter is one of the most misunderstood holidays in all of Christianity, and in this episode Kevin and Ryder break it all down. We cover where the name “Easter” actually comes from (hint: it has nothing to do with Ishtar), the deep connection between Easter and the Jewish Passover, how the date of Easter is calculated using the sun and the moon, and why Catholics are actually supposed to celebrate for 50 days, not just one Sunday. We also get into Easter eggs, the Easter hare, the Easter Vigil tradition, common myths and misconceptions, and close out with an announcement about the next Faithful Fireside book club pick.Whether you are a lifelong Catholic, a new convert, or just curious about the origins and meaning of Easter, this episode has something for you. We keep it real, keep it fun, and always bring the faith back to everyday life.#FaithfulFiresidePodcast #EasterCatholic #CatholicFaith #EasterOrigins #CatholicPodcast0:00 - Welcome and intro0:28 - Octave of Easter, Easter Friday, and Chili's2:29 - The "Let's go to Chili's" story and transformational teaching4:24 - How was your Easter? St. John's Easter morning experience7:20 - Catholicism is growing and the packed church9:51 - Transitioning to the Easter topic10:28 - Easter's connection to Passover and the Old Testament12:10 - The word Easter and where it comes from14:02 - Easter as the theological center of Christianity14:51 - Debunking the Ishtar myth16:15 - Venerable Bede and the goddess Eostre18:49 - Easter, the sunrise, and resurrection symbolism20:06 - The apostles died for it: why the resurrection holds up historically22:01 - Was Paul's encounter a conversion or an act of obedience?24:47 - The liturgical season of Easter: 50 days of celebration26:01 - How American culture has gutted Easter celebration28:42 - How Easter's date is calculated (sun, moon, equinox)31:11 - Why Lent changes dates too and liturgical cycles33:43 - The Liturgy of the Hours and daily prayer cycles36:03 - The East vs. West Easter date split and the Council of Nicaea38:11 - How families celebrate Easter38:44 - Easter eggs and why we use them39:28 - The Easter bunny: hare vs. rabbit symbolism41:31 - Easter Vigil: history and tradition43:31 - Renewing baptismal promises and holy water44:13 - Common myths and misconceptions about Easter48:43 - Next book club pick: Mr. Miracle by Tom King49:29 - Wrap up and goodbye