GREETINGS HOLY PEOPLE OF GOD,
Jesus lives and I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen.
I have had 3 unexpected conversations about the future dates of Easter and in particular about the dates of Western (Roman Catholic, Anglican Communion, Protestant Churches) and Eastern (Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox Churches) Christianity coming into alignment with the celebration of Easter which last happened in 2017 and will again happen in 2025.
In an article in The Christian Century, history professor Steve Ware asks the question, “When Is Easter this year?” Ware explains how this came to be. Here’s the short version of the story: In 325 A.D., Constantine, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, convened the Council of Nicaea. Among the business before the council was to establish a uniform date for Easter. Out of the discussion and debate came the “Easter Rule,” setting Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox.
As is often the case with church councils, the decision was not unanimous. The Eastern bishops wanted to schedule Easter in conjunction with the Jewish Festival of Passover since, after all, Jesus went to Jerusalem, in the first place, to celebrate Passover. The Western bishops preferred a date corresponding with the beginning of spring, because that was the time already established for a lot of pagan celebrations, and they figured to capitalize on the momentum.
This is why, to this day, we have such things as the Easter Bunny and colored eggs associated with Easter. This, along with other issues, the church eventually split. To this day, we, who are descendants of the Western line of Christendom, use a different church calendar than the Eastern Orthodox churches. Sometimes our celebration of Easter falls on the same day, and sometimes it varies by as much as five weeks!
Because Jesus lives, what is the exciting thing here? No matter what calendar we use, East or West, the risen Christ goes before us leading the way whether it is forging a new way in culture or anchoring ourselves with our Jewish roots, Christ will be made known in our lives and in our world. God is faithful and determined. God loves us and this world. The Holy Spirit, like Jesus, breaks into our closed rooms and helps us to break out as we trust God. The Holy Spirit will take what is familiar, like Peter and the disciples' fishing trip and turn it into an amazing adventure with a boatload of fish and breakfast on shore. The Holy Spirit will work with Saul who thought he was defending God by going after the people of the Way, (followers of Jesus) all the way to Damascus. Saul, who thought he could see, was blinded for Jesus to show him the way.
I can’t help but see the death and resurrection Themes in these Easter stories. The disciples go back to what they knew – a kind of dead end and Jesus showed them something new, a new discipleship rooted in love demonstrated in action. Saul (aka Paul) thought that his actions were glorifying God as he arrested followers of the Way only to have Ananias who was terrified of Saul and his reputation, told by God in a vision to lay hands on Saul and heal him. Ananias calling Saul his brother did what was commanded in the vision and Saul was forever changed, with new vision, a new way of seeing and proclaimed the good news of God in Christ Jesus to rulers, Jews and Gentiles alike.
As we go back to what we know, what exciting new thing is Jesus going to do? How is Jesus meeting us in what we have always done before? How is the Holy Spirit helping us to see more because Jesus lives? Turn toward God’s abundance and see what happens and share your stories. We need to hear these stories as they have the power to breathe new life in us and help us connect in ways we might have missed.
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
