Húsvét known to the rest of the world as Easter is one of the times of year when we feel a little lost. On Easter Monday morning it is not unusual for girls to be ‘sprinkled’ with water, sprinkling isn’t a word I would usually use for having a bucket of water thrown over someone. If it isn’t water that’s used then they are sprayed with perfume. In return the boys /men receive a painted egg or a chocolate treat.
I have asked many people over the years why the girls are sprinkled and have usually received a mumbled response about the girls being like flowers. I walked away still scratching my head and wondering about it’s significance. I found out this year it is supposed to be a preparation so that they can become good wives and bare lots of children. The archaic custom is a cherished Hungarian tradition and doesn’t seem to have come under fire from feminists or from those who seek political correctness.
So is there a link in this blog back to marriage? Absolutely! Húsvét can be a good reminder that marriages need to be ‘watered’. They don’t just bloom into something beautiful without effort. That effort isn’t just emotional or physical, we also have a spiritual dimension that needs nourished.
Ephesians 5:25-26 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.