Pope Francis

We had a good Sunday, celebrating Pentecost along with Christians throughout the world.  The new Pope, Pope Francis, gave what I thought was a good homily at the Vatican which emphasized (1) the Newness the Holy Spirit brings, (2) the unity the Holy Spirit brings, and (3) how the Holy Spirit operates as the soul of the Christian mission.

On the unity the Holy Spirit brings, the Pope spoke about how it often appears to us that the Holy Spirit brings disorder, since He  brings different charisms and gifts.  We tend to want to counter this by building unity through standardization to achieve uniformity.  Or we tend to push for diversity and end up creating division.  In contrast, says the Pope, “Only the Spirit can awaken diversity, plurality and multiplicity, while at the same time building unity.”

This homily gives me hope that this Pope will seek unity with all Christians as led through the movements of the Holy Spirit rather than by more leaning on a reliance of human efforts by means of large organizational efforts.

You can read his entire homily (it’s short) at this link.

Mother Church
Barberini Exultet Roll
Monte Casini – 1087

An old and deep tradition in the Church teaches us to view the Church as mother.  As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day, a worthy celebration that has unfortunately become overly commercialized, it may help to reflect on this tradition.

An early church father, Cyprian (bishop of Carthage from 249 till 258), wrote, He can no longer have God for his Father who has not the Church for his mother; . . . (De unitate ecclesiae - On The Unity of The Church)  Many other church fathers agreed with this view, including St. Augustine.

John Calvin, one of the leading Reformers, explained this tradition in his Institutes as follows, For there is no other way to enter into life unless this mother concieves us in her womb, gives us birth, norishes us at her breast, and lastly, unless she keep us under her care and guidance, until, putting off mortal flesh, we become like the angels.  Our weakness does not allow us to be dismissed from her school until we have been pupils all our lives. (Book IV, Ch. 1, Sect. 4)  Other Reformers agreed with this view of the church as mother, including Martin Luther, who wrote, The Christian church is your mother, who gives birth to you  and bears you through the Word. (Luther Works, Vol. 51, p. 166.)

Some shy away from this tradition because there is no direct Scripture that simply states, “the church is your mother.”  However, many traditions are based on indirect Scriptural support (such as the Trinity).  Though its supporters cite many Scriptures to elucidate this tradition, they most often refer to Galatians 4:26 & 31,
26: But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.
31: Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the         free woman.
Tradition frequently considers and interprets Jerusalem as a reference to the Church.

Unfortunately, this tradition seems to have been largely lost in many Protestant traditions, as faith tends to be viewed more individualistically, especially after John Wesley’s emphasis on personal salvation (often described as a personal relationship).  Certainly, salvation needs to be appropriated on an individual basis.  However, an over-emphasis on this aspect of salvation tends to lose sight of the important role the Church plays in our salvation and in God’s plan for the ages.

The Roman Catholic Church has preserved this tradition of the Church as mother. Section 2040 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states,  Thus a true filial spirit toward the Church can develop among Christians. It is the normal flowering of the baptismal grace which has begotten us in the womb of the Church and made us members of the Body of Christ. In her motherly care, the Church grants us the mercy of God which prevails over all our sins and is especially at work in the sacrament of reconciliation. With a mother’s foresight, she also lavishes on us day after day in her liturgy the nourishment of the Word and Eucharist of the Lord.  Perhaps the Protestant downplaying of this tradition is an overreaction to the Catholic emphasis of it.

So I think it may be healthy for my Protestant brothers and sisters to restore the tradition of Church as mother, and perhaps to look to or borrow from the Catholic tradition for assistance in this endeavor.  At the same time, I think it may be healthy for my Catholic brothers and sisters to gain insight from the Evangelical emphasis on personal salvation.

If you haven’t notice before, the date of Easter moves around every year.  You may have wondered why is that?  Why not settle on a date, or why not say the first Sunday of April, or something like that.

The date for Easter (Pascha) moves because it is linked to the Jewish Passover (as I discussed in Part 1).  Passover itself is based on the Hebrew calendar,  In Leviticus (23), Passover starts on the 15th day of the first month.  In the Bible, the first month is called Aviv, which means when the barley is ripe – which indicates spring.  (After the Babylonian exile, this month was given the Babylonian name of Nissan.)  By tradition, the first month could not begin until the barley was ripe.  If it was not ripe, they added an extra (lunar) month.  (Since the 4th Cent., the date has been set mathematically.)  It falls on the night of a full moon (since the month begins with a new moon) after the vernal (spring) equinox.  The date for Passover thus moves from year to year.  (2011 – April 19; 2012 – April 7; 2013 – March 26; 2014 – April 15; 2015 – April 4.)

At the First Council of Nicea (in 325), loosely following the Passover, Christians set the date for Easter on the first Sunday following the full moon (called the Pascal full moon) following the vernal (spring) equinox.  However, for church purposes, they decided that the equinox would always occur on March 21st, regardless of the actual astronomical date.  So Easter falls the Sunday following the first full moon after March 21st.  At that time, Christianity followed the Julian calendar.  Today, the Western churches follow the Gregorian calendar, while Eastern Orthodox churches still follow the Julian calendar (for church purposes).  This means there are usually two different days in the same year when Easter (Pascha) is observed, depending on whether you are in a Western church or an Eastern orthodox church.  (Some Oriental Orthodox churches have  moved from the Julian to the Gregorian calendars.)

So this year (2013), Western churches observe Easter on March 31st, while Eastern Orthodox churches observe it on May 5th.  Occasionally, almost by accident, they observe Easter on the same date.  This occurred in 2010 when both churches observed Easter on April 4th.  It will occur again in 2014 when both churches will observe it on April 20th.  While there have been recommendations to reform the date of Easter, either to the 2nd Sunday in April, or for a uniform date based on actual astronomical observation, none of those reforms have been implemented.

While some focus on this difference, I prefer to focus on the great unity in the churches in celebrating Christ as our Passover, and in His Resurrection, which gives us hope for eternal life.  I hope this post has given you some understanding about the date of Easter and why we celebrate it.

Please join us to celebrate Easter.

Back to Part 1.

Back to Part 2.

How do Christian observe Easter (Pascha)?  For many liturgical traditions, it begins on the eve of Holy Saturday with lighting of the Pascha Candle, which represents the Easter fire – the Risen Christ.  In some traditions, this white candle is lighted outdoors from an Easter fire.  The candle is brought into a completely dark church, as the Easter Vigil begins in almost complete dark.

In various traditions, the Exultant (Easter Proclamation), a hymn of praise, is sung or chanted.  This is often followed by readings from the Old Testament which culminate in the prophecies of the Messiah – followed by the proclamation of the gospel of the Resurrection of Christ.

Some traditions consider Easter an ideal time to baptize new converts.  Those traditions, typically conduct an adult baptismal service as part of their Easter celebration, and offer the rest of the congregation the opportunity to renew their baptismal vows.  The newly baptized believers are also offered their First Communion as well as Confirmation.

Some traditions hold a sunrise service.  The first such service was held by Moravian Christians in 1732.  It has spread around the world since then.

Churches typically decorate their sanctuaries festively for Easter and play festive music as well.  It is considered the high point in the Christian calendar for the year.

Join us to celebrate Easter (Pascha),

Back to Part 1.

On to Part 3.

Jesus Enters Jerusalem – Fresco – Parish Church – Zirl, Austria

On Palm Sunday, we commemorate the triumphal entry into Jerusalem by Jesus Christ our Lord.  Jesus came riding on a donkey, and as he came, people spread their cloaks on the road in front of him (3 of 4 Gospels) as well as branches cut from trees (2 of 4 gospels).  Only John records that the crowd brought palm branches as they went out to greet Jesus.

So while we could call it Cloak Sunday for the cloaks spread on the road before Christ, by tradition we call it Palm Sunday.  The entire entry into Jerusalem raises several questions.

• Why did Jesus ride in on a donkey?  In the ancient Eastern world, a king coming in peace rode in on a donkey.  If he rode a horse, he was bent on war.  In addition, Zechariah had prophesied that Zion’s king would come riding on a donkey.  (Zech. 9:9).  Jesus not only fulfilled that prophecy, he was openly saying he was the King of Israel.
  

  Spreading cloaks and cut tree branches

• Why did people spread their cloaks and cut tree branches on the road before Jesus?  In the ancient East, it was customary to accord someone the highest honor by spreading something to cover the path before them.
• Why did people bring out palm branches?  In the ancient world, especially for Greeks and Romans, palm branches were a symbol of triumph and victory.  The victor’s garments were often adorned with the emblems of palm branches.
  

  White robes and palm branches

  The palm branch also had special significance for the Hebrews since during the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths), the booths were often covered with palm branches.  In Revelations, the great multitude that stands before the throne and the Lamb wear white robes and hold palm branches.  (Rev. 7:9).

The crowd understood what Jesus was doing – and what they were doing, as they shouted,

“Hosanna!

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (citing Psalm 118:26)

The Resurrection (of Christ) – Rembrandt (1635)

Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, a historical event of great significance for the Christian Church – a foundation of the Christian faith.

However, detractors associate it with paganism because of the name itself, “Easter,” which they say derives from a goddess in Germanic paganism named Ēostre or Ostara.

This ignores that in most of the world (non-English languages), Easter is known as Pascha, or words in various languages derived from Pascha.  Pascha itself is a Greek or Latin word derived from the Hebrew word for Passover.  As the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:7(b), “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” (NIV)  ["For Christ our pasch is sacrificed." - Douay-Rheims.]  For Christians, the celebration of Easter, or Pascha, is a continuation and culmination of the Old Testament feast of Passover.

Ēostre or Ostara

Besides, not all agree that Easter derives from the Germanic goddess Ēostre.  Many believe the word instead means “the month of opening,” which referred to April.  Even if it was once long ago associated with a goddess, the 8th century monk and scholar, Bede, notes that celebrations for Ēostre had long died out and been replaced with the Paschal celebration.

So Christians should have no hesitation in celebrating Easter – the Pascha.

Come celebrate Easter with us.

On to Part 2.

On to Part 3.