Behold the Mysteries

It wasn’t until I became an Episcopalian that I learned how the date for Easter is determined. If you’re curious, the “rules” for finding the date are found in the Book of Common Prayer on page 880. One of the rules is that Easter Day cannot be earlier than March 22 or later than April 25. Living most of my life in Georgia and Virginia, this means Easter for me has always coincided with spring flowers bursting into color, warm weather, green grass, birds singing once again.

This was not the case when we moved to upstate New York in 2002. In the seven years I served St. James Church in Clinton there was not a single Easter that wasn’t freezing cold with snow on the ground. Easter sunrise services in the village park found the faithful few of us huddled together in winter coats, snow boots and gloves trying to stay warm. The best part was walking over to the Presbyterian Church for coffee and donuts to reward us for getting up so early in the bitter cold.

And yet, I learned something profound in those years. Namely, Easter is not about the outward and visible signs of spring. It is about an inner knowing of God’s love for us lived out on a cross that doesn’t end in suffering and death. Easter is the promise of God’s abiding love and everlasting life. Easter is a change of heart from fear to trust, from sadness to joy. Easter is the promise which we pray in our Good Friday liturgy of “things which are cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by Jesus through whom all things were made….”

This Paschal mystery of Easter is not something to be understood with our minds. It is something to be experienced in our hearts. As we enter these holy days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Day may each of us take time to behold these mysteries with an open, receptive heart.

Peace and blessings to each of you,

Jenny+