Happy Easter!

So, you probably thought I missed it, didn't you? I didn't change the blog last Sunday for Easter. Well, like Holy Saturday ... that day between Jesus' death and resurrection when it's not yet Easter, we have one week between our Easter celebration and our Orthodox brothers and sisters. They celebrate Easter this coming Sunday, April 12. So, while I'm a little late in declaring Easter greetings for my friends in the Western Church, I'm a little early for my friends in the  Eastern Church.

This Easter date debate has been going on for centuries and has many complexities to sift and sort through in order to understand it. Easter is a movable feast, meaning it's never on the same date every year. The date is set according to the first full moon after the vernal equinox. This seems rather straightforward, right? Well, it appears there is question as to how to define "vernal equinox" and "full moon", and from where those things are observed. (Eastern Church holds that Jerusalem should be the observation point as that is where Jesus was crucified and rose again.) Then, there is the question as to whether the date for Easter should fall after Passover?

Add to the mix that the Western Church uses the Gregorian Calendar and the Eastern Church uses the Julian Calendar. OK, so it's going to take a little more than sifting and sorting ... so here's my take ...

No matter where we stand to observe the movements of our natural world, no matter where we stand on how we count days, we stand on this side of the Cross and Empty Tomb. We are Easter People. (Thank you to my friends in the Adirondacks for this new view of who we are with and in Christ!) We celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord every day. Yes, we especially remember our resurrection life in Christ on Easter Day, but let's not quibble over the specific date. Let's make every date a reason to celebrate our Risen Lord.

Alleluia? Oh, yes. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Triduum - Three Holy Days of Waiting

Triduum. Oh, that Latin. In simple language ... meaning English, American at that ... it means three days. But, what three days! It begins with the Last Supper of Maundy Thursday travels through the Crucifixion of Good Friday and explodes in glory with Easter Sunday. Wait. We skipped Holy Saturday. Well, you're right. But, count in the way of the Hebrews: Thursday evening to Friday evening = Day 1; Friday evening to Saturday evening = Day 2; Saturday evening to Sunday = Day 3. So, I could say that it explodes in the glory of the resurrection on Saturday at sun-down, the beginning of the 3rd Day ... but it was in the dawn of the 3rd day that it was witnessed by the women going to the tomb. For these 3 Days we wait, we watch, we pray ... with hope and assurance. How can that be?

On Maundy Thursday we looked to Jesus with great anticipation. We sat with Jesus and his disciples around the Passover Table remembering the salvation of the Jews from the bondage and slavery in Egypt. As the evening wore on we discovered that Jesus is The Passover Lamb ... God's final act of salvation to save us from the bondage and slavery of sin. And, we discovered two things about ourselves during that meal: that we are the ones who betrayed Him ... but that He loves us anyway and wants us to love and serve one another as He loves and serves us. Is this the Glory you spoke of Jesus? How can that be?

This morning we awoke to learn of the unjust accusations, the hasty trial, further betrayals, the scorn, the ridicule, the horror ... the horror! We awoke to learn that the Son of God, very Life Himself ... is lifted up, high upon a Cross ... to die. Is this the glory of the Father that Jesus told us about during Passover? Is this the Glory you spoke of Jesus? How can it be?

This afternoon He will be laid in the tomb. And, the tomb will be sealed with a stone. All that is Light from which all light comes ... will be laid in darkness. But, in Him there is no darkness. In Him is Light! In Him is Life! Darkness cannot conquer the Light. Death cannot conquer Life. It Light and Life cannot be defeated. Is this the Glory you spoke of Jesus? How can it be?

Friday evening to Saturday evening ... this is the longest day, the most difficult day. The heavy crushing stone seals the tomb. Creation has stopped breathing. The angels are silent. We wait. We watch. We pray. Where is the Glory you spoke of Jesus? You said that you will rise up on the third day ... but how can it be?