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Our journey of Lent has brought us to the great celebration of Easter and together we rejoice in Christ’s victory over death. It seems we have been preparing for this particular Easter longer than any in recent years, because it is here so early. Already in spring of 2007 people were talking about the coming of Easter 2008, which was going to be “as early as it can be.” Even before the end of last Advent, plans were under way for the beginning of Lent on February 6, just a month after the 12th day of Christmas. It seems that all through this Lent, the discussion has been about how no one can believe that Easter is going to be on March 23 and no one can remember it ever being so early.

Well, that’s because unless you are old enough to remember 95 years ago, you don’t remember it being so early, since 1913 is the last time Easter has been on this date.

Being a bit of a trivia buff, I did some research to see when this would happen again, and was surprised to learn that it will not happen again in my lifetime — nor the lifetime of anyone who is reading this bulletin. The next time Easter is going to be on March 23 will be in the year 2228. So if you want to see it again, you better start eating your vegetables and getting plenty of exercise because you are going to have to live another 220 years!

In my research, I learned that in fact March 23 is not the earliest Easter can be. It can actually be on March 22, but that happens even more rarely than on the 23rd. The date of Easter is calculated by the cycle of the moon as it falls around the spring equinox. What makes it especially early has to do with how these cycles fall in line with a leap year. I will leave the particular details of that discussion to someone more qualified. The last time Easter was on the 22nd was 1818 and it won’t come again until 2285. So in the 23rd century, some lucky people will be around to see two very early Easters in a time frame of 60 years.

The 40 days of Lent when we were fasting and abstaining are only a blink in time when we consider the nearly 2,000 years that Christians around the world have been invigorated on their journey to heaven by their observance of Lent and Easter. Again this year, we participate with billions of people throughout the world who believe that our Lord broke the chains of death and overcame sin to win for us a new life. And we join in the happiness of Peter and John, Mary Magdalene and Thomas, and all who rejoiced in experiencing Jesus Christ, who is risen from the dead.

I pray that this Easter fills your soul with the joy and gladness that comes to those who encounter Jesus as we celebrate this especially early Easter.