It happened. Easter happened!
It happened earlier than it has in my lifetime. The last time it was this early was in 1913; and believe it or not, I was not around then. If you make it to the year 2228, you will celebrate Easter again on March 23. The earliest it can be is March 22, and that will be in 2285. I really don’t much expect to be around for either of those celebra-tions. You know, I’m really sort of glad that I won’t be celebrating Easter here on earth when it comes that early again because, well, it just seemed “funny” getting ready for Easter so soon after Christmas.
I mean, really, we just barely got Jesus out of the cradle before we were journeying through Lent (six weeks in between the two). He was hardly up and walking. Somehow or another, I had a difficult time transitioning between the two so quickly. My head just was not “programmed” for so much happening so fast. I really wasn’t sure what it would be like to celebrate Easter this early. Would the people come? Spring break would find many of our folks out-of-town. Would we really be excited about it? Oh, doubting Jim.
When Easter came on that first Sunday after the first full moon (and did you see that absolutely beautiful full moon Saturday night?) after the first day of spring, I was ready. You were ready. We were ready. Christians around the world were ready. What a glorious day it was!
Here at Fountain City United Methodist Church, the music was powerful. The beautiful lilies (“small trumpets”) seemed themselves to sing. The looks and sounds of joy from the people all morning were warm and inviting and exciting. When a pastor would say “Christ is risen!” the congregation responded each time with “Christ is risen indeed!” Not only did it keep everyone but Don awake, everyone said it as if they really were excited about it. It sounded so good to hear several hundred voices proclaiming that good news.
There was one slight exception to all this: the butterflies were not ready. They were still in their cocoons. We forgot to tell them that Sunday was Easter, and that they needed to put on their Easter outfits. They were just one day late, but the congregation is out living the faith this week and won’t be able to see the butterflies today. You know what, though? Next Sunday is another Easter, and the butterflies will be yet another reminder of new life for us all.
Now, I guess my greater concern is not that of “Will we be ready for Easter?” but “Will we be ready for living the Easter faith?” Can I live it as I preached it? Can we live it as we all proclaimed it? With God’s help and the love and support of one another, we can do it. We really can.
When that next official early Easter comes, I have plans to be right there with Christ in that heavenly Church worshiping along with you. Meanwhile, let’s worship together here every chance we get. Come worship with us next Easter, that is, next Sunday. Christ will still be risen. Christ will still be risen indeed!
- Jim
P. S. Just kidding about Don. He was wide awake (as he always is!) all the way through both services.
