I, for one, tend to get a little too US-centric at times. Heck, I often get too town-centric when I don’t leave my own town for a week or two at a stretch. But it’s a big world out there, people. Different cultures, different environments, but filled with commonalities: people who want to raise their families in peace, strive for some kind of personal expression, and unite in active, happy communities.
In this light, I thought it would be helpful to see how others around the world celebrated Easter yesterday. You’ll note that neither the Easter Bunny nor any marshmallow chicks make an appearance.
As we read through the Gospels together, we’ll find instances where the accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John don’t agree. One such instance is when the Last Supper occurred. Matthew, Mark, and Luke say it occurred at the start of Passover. John, however, states that it happened before Passover. This is actually significant as the holiday of Passover was/is a very big deal.
Professor Colin Humphreys from the University of Cambridge thinks that the discrepancy was caused by two different calendars. Humphreys believes that Jesus was using an old Jewish calendar (and thus Matthew, Mark, and Luke), while John was using the new (at the time) lunar calendar.
“This would put the Passover meal — and the Last Supper — on the Wednesday, explaining how such a large number of events took place between the meal and the crucifixion. It would follow that Jesus’ arrest, interrogation and separate trials did not all take place in the space of one night but in fact occurred over a longer period. Humphreys believes a date could therefore be ascribed to Easter in our modern solar calendar, and working on the basis that the crucifixion took place on April 3, Easter Day would be on April 5.”
Happy Good Friday, everyone. I hope you will enjoy the beautiful spring weather (after so much cold and rain) and take a moment to witness all the re-birth and renewal that is happening around you.
For an account of what happened on Good Friday, you could certainly grab your copy of What He Said and read the narrative of the Four Gospels. Or, you could rely on trusty Wikipedia. Interesting to see that the Crucifixion of Jesus was “most probably on a Monday” in the year 33 AD.
For those who have lost track of time and haven’t seen Joe Biden’s forehead, today is Ash Wednesday–a day that marks the beginning of Lent. For many, this is a time of fasting and penance leading up to Easter. This year, bishops from the Church of England are calling for a cut in personal carbon use. Some of the ways they suggest doing so are to:
eat more vegetables (that don’t require as much cooking as meat),
and don’t flush the toilet so often.
Overall, the gist of their suggestion is to go green for lent. I particularly like this because the result will benefit everyone and not just the individual making the sacrifice.
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