The story of Easter is a given. We know its beautiful meaning and impact on our lives. That’s the one constant aspect to the celebration of Easter for those of the Christian faith.
But the date for Easter? Well, that’s been a toss-up matter for hundreds of years. I finally decided enough was enough. I must know why so that if I am ever on Jeopardy or have the chance to win a plush giveaway Easter basket with the correct answer, I’ll be ready.
When preparing to write the column, the info just got a bit overwhelming. Spring equinox, Gregorian calendar, Paschal full moon, the Paschal Mystery, the Paschal Controversy, Lent, Ash Wednesday, the First Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. (think big deacons’ meeting), Passover, and words like Pascha (Latin) and Pesach (Hebrew) were more than I anticipated.
So, I went to the Pioneer Woman in my google search because if Ree Drummond has it on her website, that’s good enough for me. As a bonus, I got some great recipes for Easter Sunday fixings.
Here’s what Ree’s content creators wrote on her www.thepioneerwoman.com website on January 30, 2024: “It’s a combination of things. For one, some of it has to do with the moon. (Say what?!) To make it a little more simple: Easter consistently falls on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon. For those who aren't familiar, the Paschal Full Moon is the first full moon after the vernal equinox. And if we're getting technical, this could happen within the span of a month. (We're talking any time between March 22 to April 25!) So you can see why some years it falls early, while others it falls a bit late! If you're wondering why Easter relies on the Paschal Full Moon, the answer dates back centuries. The moon's cycles have had a key role in determining important dates since ancient times.”
There you have it. Straight from the cattle ranch in Oklahoma.
I’ll let you guys figure out how to explain the Easter bunny to your kids, but here’s hint: according to Good Housekeeping magazine, the world’s favorite bunny was “firstintroducedinthe1700sbyGermanimmigrants to Pennsylvania, who reportedly brought over their tradition of an egg-laying hare from the Old Country. Legend has it that the rabbit would lay colorful eggs as gifts to children who were good, so kids wouldmakenestsinwhichthebunnycould leave his eggs and even sometimes set out carrots in case the hare got hungry.”
Basically, the Easter Bunny plagiarized Santa Claus’s gig, but I’m good with it as long as I get some Cadbury eggs out of the deal.
Easter dates may move around depending on spring’s equinox and full moon phases. But those of us who recognize the hallmark event in our faith realize that the story of Jesus’s final days is a constant and consistent reminder of sacrificial love. Every day. Every month. Every year.
Some things never change, nor should they.
Snyder, Texas, native Sue Jane Sullivan is a retired schoolteacher whose thought-provoking commentary appears occasionally in several West Texas newspapers, including The Texas Spur and The Caprock Courier.
