TheBanyanTree: Moonset

[Margaret R. Kramer]

Easter falls on the first Sunday subsequent to the first full moon after the
vernal equinox (March 21). Thus, it can occur as early as March 22 and as
late as April 25. (If the full moon after the equinox falls on Sunday,
Easter follows a week later.)

Originally Easter was celebrated on the same day as the Jewish Passover.
Since the Jewish calendar is lunar, Passover can fall on any day of the
week, and some Church fathers were distressed that the Lenten fast should
end on any day other than a Sunday. They argued about it until the 8th
century, when the church officially adopted the procedure we have now.
--from http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_126a.html

Easter is the one religious holiday that this agnostic feels the pull back
to the church.  As a child, I loved the week long Lutheran ritual marking
the events leading to Easter and the resurrection of Jesus.  During my
childhood, we really celebrated the end of Lent, and most companies gave
Good Friday off as a paid holiday, so there was more time for people to go
to church.  It seems now Good Friday can be used as a “discretionary day,”
and Christians try to fit church holy days around their jobs.

Easter is a very reflective time, without all the outside trappings of
Christmas, and its affect on me is very strong.  I think most religions have
a time like Easter where believers can touch base with their faith.  They
can experience a quiet and sad time leading to a joyous celebration.

Easter has merged with the pagan celebration of spring and fertility.  Look
at all the bunnies, eggs, and flowers associated with the holiday.  After
staring at winter’s dull whites, grays, and blacks, it’s wonderful to see
the pretty pastel colors associated with spring.  Spring is almost like New
Year’s with its promise of renewal and rejuvenation and growth.

This year’s Easter is a little odd, since it is so early.  It’s even before
daylight saving’s time, so we’ll be eating our Easter dinner by candlelight.
Our spring snow is still clinging to the ground in spite of the warmer
temperatures.  No daffodils or tulips are popping through the frozen dirt
yet.

These early spring mornings have showcased spectacular reddish sunrises that
promise special warm days when we can take off our winter coats and exchange
them for lighter spring jackets.

And on Good Friday morning, the moon decided to get into the act and
displayed its beauty in a remarkable moonset.  As I drove west to work, the
moon grew larger and larger as it sank towards the horizon. And as it
expanded, it also grew redder and redder.  It looked like it might set the
nearby wispy clouds on fire.  The essence of spring and the promise of
Easter Sunday was captured in its intense beauty and I reflected on the
“passion” the rest of my drive to work.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net

http://www.polarispublications.com
Be a star!

http://www.bpwmn.org
Business and Professional Women of Minnesota

A bird does not sing because it has an answer.  It sings because it has a
song.
~Chinese Proverb