Twice a year, it seems, we ministers of a more liberal theological persuasion are overrun with religious opportunity.
In December, there are the observances of Advent, Hanukkah, the winter solstice, Christmas, and Kwanza.
Now, as we have travel through this season of spring we encounter first the vernal equinox, followed by the Christian observances of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter; and the great Jewish celebration of Passover.
We Unitarian Universalists draw on many sources as the basis for our living faith tradition.
And one of these sources is the Jewish and Christian heritage shared by many of our members and friends.
In the Christian calendar Easter is known as a 'moveable feast".
Christmas always falls on December 25th but the date of Easter can vary by as much as a month. In my short tenure as your minister Easter has fallen as early as March 27 and as late as April 20.
The date for Easter was established around 325 CE at the time of the Council of Nicea.
The church fathers of that time contrived this rather elaborate formula that determines the date of Easter by the following formula: Easter is the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the vernal equinox.
Since this year the vernal equinox fell on March 20th, and the first full moon after that date was this past Thursday, so if I have done the math correctly, today must be Easter Sunday.
Now, in the Jewish tradition this week also contains the observance of Passover.
Passover celebrates the struggle and eventual freedom of the Jews from their enslavement in Egypt.
Pesach, meaning "passing over" or "protection" in Hebrew, originated from a particular event in Jewish history.
It is said that God gave instructions to Moses to protect all first-born Jews from death by marking their homes with lamb's blood before He cast ten plagues upon Pharaoh and his people.
The Israelites chose to listen to Moses and as history tells us God "passed over" the houses of Israel and their first-born were saved.
It was not until after the end of the plagues that inflicted the land, that the Pharaoh finally delivered the Israelites from slavery.
But Pharaoh's army followed the Israelites in their flight from Egypt.
It took the parting of the Red Sea or as it is more accurately described, the sea of Reeds, to deliver them finally to true freedom.
To this day, Jews the world over celebrate Passover for their freedom through God's assistance in the flight from Egypt and the miracles they experienced throughout that time.
Easter and Passover have another interesting connection. Some sources associate the Last Supper with Passover, the Jewish holiday of unleavened bread and spring lamb.
Perhaps in another year we could hold a Seder in this very space to mark the importance of our Jewish and Christian roots.
Now, while I say the holidays are similar, obviously they have their differences; they commemorate different historical events.
Still both are spring holidays, holidays of renewal and rebirth, and that is no accident.
For Christians, Easter commemorates the renewal of life—the belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
But it seems to me that Passover, too, can be thought to be about renewal.
Up until the time of the Exodus the Jews were slaves and had not gained an identity as a religion. With their escape from Egypt, The Jewish people were in some way also being given new life.
If during the great holidays of December, the common theme is light, then it may just be possible that the common of Easter and Passover is freedom.
The Jews were set free from slavery.
Jesus was set free from the pain and torture inflicted by the Romans and a society that distrusted his ministry.
And in this season of renewal and resurrection each of us can be set free from the grip of winter, and if we believe in the power that lies within each human heart to break us free of the bonds of personal pain and to know the hope of a better tomorrow, then we have experienced a resurrection in ways great and small.
At Easter, we Unitarian Universalists can celebrate the many resurrections of the season.
We can celebrate the many glories of the earth; we can celebrate the capacity of the human heart to overcome personal tragedy or disability and to affirm the power of love.
Frederick Gillis tells us that, "Out of the experience of death and despair comes resurrection—unexpected but possible.
Easter is the power of inner rebirth that breaks the powers that hold us in bondage. It is the eternal 'yes' that shatters every 'no.'
Passover celebrates the reality of the New Day of Justice, peace, and hope that has lived for centuries in the heart of humanity.
Out of the experience of slavery and persecution comes release, new freedom.
Out of the weary days of winter come spring—expected, but not without surprise.
Easter marks the power of life's renewal built into the cycle of birth and growth and death on this our blue planet earth."
The possibility of transformation and renewal exists for each of us.
All around us are people whose lives have been transformed by overcoming addictions, by renewed relationships; by the healing of body or spirit; and those who have managed to overcome despair when life was at its darkest.
"Resurrection is not a long ago, unique, unlikely event, but is potentially present in all human life." Writes Earl Holt.
"It is a promise and a challenge, for it represents the possibility of radical change—transformation—based on a radical sense of hope.
In the original Easter story, when Mary Magdalene, Salome and Mary the mother of James went to the tomb the stone had already been rolled away and the events that followed brought joy and gladness into their hearts.
But for some of us here this morning, we may not be able to resonate with the usual good news messages of Easter morning, because for us we still live in the darkness of the tomb.
Our stone has not moved an inch. We may feel trapped by the circumstances of our lives, by the economy, by events that we perceive to be beyond our control.
For those of us who may feel trapped in the darkness of life everything may appear to be cold and dark and bleak.
If you are among those who feel trapped in the tomb of the spirit, in the dark night of your soul, I offer this word of hope.
Easter can come in the fall, it can come in the winter, it can come on a perfect summer day in the garden or at the beach. It can come and probably will come when we least expect it.
And that may be the central mystery of the season.
The apostles were mystified to find the empty tomb and were at a loss to explain what had happened. In fact many were afraid to think of what had happened.
And yet they stayed together as a community.
They stayed together and supported one another. They stayed together and talked and cried and shared their stories.
And that is when a miracle happened.
For out of the tears and the despair came an understanding that their rabbi, their teacher, was still with them in thought and deed.
There's a story about Easter that Mike McGee from our church in Arlington, Virginia, told me once that goes something like this:
A group of friends of various religious denominations were seated in fellowship discussing the true meaning of Easter one Sunday when the Baptist said:
"I believe we place too much emphasis on chocolate bunnies, colored rabbits and Easter eggs instead of the spiritual aspects, which is the real meaning of Easter.
That's what I believe," said the Baptist.
"Me too," said the Methodist. "Me too," said the Lutheran.
"Me too," said the Catholic. "Me too," said the Nazarene. --And the Unitarian Universalist was silent.
"I believe the real meaning of Easter is that Christ died on the Cross for our sins," said the Methodist.
"Me too," said the Nazarene. "Me too," said the Lutheran.
"Me too," said the Baptist. "Me too," said the Lutheran. --And the Unitarian Universalist was silent.
"I believe the real meaning of Easter is the triumph of Jesus over the Grave," said the Lutheran. "Me too," said the Catholic.
"Me too," said the Nazarene. "Me too," said the Baptist. "Me too," said the Methodist. --And the Unitarian Universalist was silent.
"I believe the real meaning of Easter is not only what each of you have said, but also that all people who believe in the sacrifice and Resurrection of Jesus are cleansed of original sin through baptism and are restored to the favor of God and many share in His eternal Life," said the Catholic.
"Me too," said the Nazarene. "Me too," said the Baptist. "
Me too," said the Methodist. "Me too," said the Lutheran. -
And the Unitarian Universalist was silent.
"I believe the real meaning of Easter, in addition to what has already been said, symbolizes that the bodies of all people will be resurrected and joined to their souls to share their final fate," said the Nazarene.
"Me too," said the Baptist. "Me too," said the Methodist.
"Me too," said the Lutheran. "Me too," said the Catholic. -
And the Unitarian Universalist was silent.
The group then turned to their Unitarian Universalist friend, whom they all recognized as a little strange, and said, "Your silence is a mystery to us. Just what do you believe as a Unitarian Universalist is the real meaning of Easter?"
The Unitarian Universalist ... said: "I believe the real meaning of Easter is the appreciation of life's renewing cycles and, that for all things there is a season.
I believe the real meaning of Easter is the acknowledgment, with its accompanying sadness, of a very human Jesus who was forced to die on the Cross because of his liberal religious views and beliefs.
But most important of all, I believe the real meaning of Easter is the Celebration of Thanksgiving for the presence of the sacred in each and every living person and thing; for the presence of the sacred in the birds that sing; for the presence of the sacred in the flowers which sway and the grasses which rustle in the gentle breezes of spring.
This is what I believe is the real meaning of Easter," said the Unitarian Universalist.
"Me too," sang the birds.
"Me too," waved the flowers.
"Me too," rustled the grasses.
"Me too," sighed the wind. -- And the rest were silent.
"If we believe in a creative power which shatters the icy-tomb of winter with the life-giving miracle of spring, we have seen a resurrection.
If we believe in a creative power which moves tens and then tens of thousands
Of people to cry out against the injustices of society, enabling a downfall of hatred and prejudice, then we have participated a resurrection.
If we believe in a creative power lying within each human breast which enables us to break the bonds of personal pain and know the hope of a new tomorrow, then we have experienced a resurrection". (Mark Harris, adapted.)
And that is the miracle we call Easter.
It is the faith that some things never die.
Amen and Blessed be.