One Week Away

We are one week away from Easter. We are one week away from the celebration of the resurrection and the new life that it promises for us all. The almost universal response this year is “but Easter is so early.” And it is. March 23 is the earliest date in over 50 years as near as I can tell and looking ahead another ten years there is no earlier date for Easter. That meant of course that plans for Easter had to begin even before Christmas. There has been more than a bit of mumbling about the early Easter.

I have been thinking about what it means for us to have an early Easter. What does it mean for the celebration of the resurrection to come earlier than we normally expect it? I have to believe that an early Easter is a good thing for us. The sooner we experience the new life possibilities evidenced in this high holy season, the richer our lives will be.

Last Sunday as a part of the Prayer of Confession prayed in the sanctuary there was this phrase: “Easter in us, O God.” The sense of that phrase is a plea that God will show us the possibilities for new life and that we will be open to that being shown.

If we believe that new life is possible, if we trust that God through Christ Jesus offers that possibility, then an early Easter is something for which we should pray. In fact every day lived without God “Eastering” in us is a day where our life is poorer.

And so Easter is one week away. It is indeed an early date for it to take place, but more importantly may all of us pray that in our lives we will have an early Easter so that the rest of our lives might be lived joyfully as God intended.