April 10, 2025
I always find myself caught off-guard when Holy Week seems suddenly upon us. Perhaps it is because the chronological location of Easter is an ever-moving target. I recently read a small book on the day and season of Easter, and in the book there is a paragraph from a 17th century prayer book that is meant to instruct clergy on how the date of Easter is calculated:
“To find Easter, look for the Golden Number of the year in the first Column of the table, against which stands the day of the Paschal Full Moon; then look in the third column for the Sunday Letter, next after the date of the Full Moon, and the day of the month standing against that Sunday Letter is Easter Day…To find the Golden Number, or Prime, add one to the Year of our Lord, then divide by 19; the remainder, if any, is the Golden Number; but if nothing remaineth, then 19 is the Golden Number…To find the Sunday Letter, add to the Year of our Lord its fourth part, omitting fractions; and also the number 6; divide the sum by 7; and if there is no remainder, then A is the Sunday Letter.”
Got it? Ha.
Sometimes I find myself wishing that Easter would happen the same date every year. Perhaps then I could build up some inner-anticipation in the same way I feel about Thanksgiving or Christmas.
But, maybe there is some wisdom in the mysterious nature of Easter’s date. After all, you cannot plan for death and resurrection. How many of us have stood by the bedside of a loved one and thought, “I thought we had more time.” That’s exactly how the disciples felt on Good Friday. And how many of us have been surprised by the sudden appearance of a beloved friend and thought, “I can’t believe it! You’re here!” That’s how the disciples felt on Easter Sunday. You cannot plan those moments in life.
This Easter, maybe we (read: I) can set aside our Type-A tendencies and our need to control. Instead, we can enter into the mysterious, seemingly random rhythms of Holy Week. Let’s wave our palm branches and shout “Hosanna!” Let’s take our places at the table of our Lord. Let’s weep at the depth of his love on the cross. And let’s rejoice on Easter morning that this resurrection is the sign that God is making all things new.
You cannot plan for such things. You may only receive them. It’s called: grace.
