Perhaps there are others besides myself at Smith Mountain Lake, wondering why Easter seems to fall on different weeks and even in different months, from year to year. With a little reading, I finally figured it out.
Easter falls at some point between late March and late April each year, because it follows the cycle of the Moon. According to history, there were several centuries of disagreement among the various churches as to when Easter should be, but they finally all accepted the computation of the Alexandrian Church. Easter is now the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, which is the first moon whose 14th day is on or after March 21.
Interesting, if a tad bit complicated. But far more important than what day it falls on, is what Easter represents.
Though many in our culture have gotten away from the meaning and into Easter egg hunts, chocolate bunnies, etc., the heart of Easter remains a celebration of our risen Lord. Everything we ever longed for and dreamed of finds its roots in the hope we have because Jesus died instead of us, and was raised to life again!
Without His sacrifice, we would be lost and separated from the God who made us. Without His being raised to life, we would have no hope of anything beyond this life, and no hope of all the wrong being made right.
Simple truths, but ones easy to lose sight of in the rush of life. Take time to celebrate Jesus and the hope He has given us through His death and Resurrection.