Saturday, April 6: The Rise
of the Church of Christ
Significance: On April 6, 1830, a small group of
believers gathered in a log cabin in either Fayette or Manchester, New York, to
formally organize the restored church of Christ. Six converts met the legal
requirement for incorporation, and they were joined by family and friends. The
meeting followed ten years of visions, angelic visits, and revelations. Those
gathered included those who had participated in the translation and publication
of the Book of Mormon. Some were close relatives and lifelong friends of Joseph
Smith, and some were new acquaintances, pulled in by the sacred work. They had
already felt the sting of persecution for their belief in the teachings of an
upstart prophet. And they still gathered together, filled with faith and hope,
each approving the formation of a church, and their transformation from loosely
gathered disciples into a new religious community. While the work of
Restoration preceded that day, a crucial change took place when the church was
organized, as the believers expressed their determination to become united as
the body of Christ, and the kingdom of God on earth. What consisted then of one
small congregation of believers has now spread across the earth. But the unity
and faith to which we are called remains the same.
Suggested
observances: This
year, the anniversary of the organization of the church coincides with the
Saturday sessions of the annual General Conference of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I watch General Conference,
I consider what it means for the Church to be the body of Christ, and what I
can do to be knit more closely in unity and love with my fellowcitizens in the
church.
Texts: Doctrine and Covenants Section 20 and 21,
Mosiah 18, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4
Sunday, Apr 14: Vaisakhi
Significance: While Sikhism began in the late 1400's with
the preaching of Guru Nanak, the events of Vaisakhi in 1699 were
transformational. Vaisakhi was already a major Punjabi harvest festival, and
had become a gathering time for the Sikh community. However, the gathering in
1699 would be different than all previous Vaisakhi celebrations. Facing
increasing persecution from the Mughal Empire, and remembering the martyrdom of
his father, Tegh Bahadur, Gobind Rai, the tenth guru, was determined to provide
his followers with a new order that would allow them to stand firm against
injustice. In preparation for Vaisakhi, Guru Gobind Rai instructed all Sikhs to
come with uncut hair. When they gathered, he instituted the Khalsa, a
religious, political, and military order, loyal to the Guru and open to men and
women of all castes and backgrounds. After initiating the first five converts,
the Guru went through the same initiation himself, committing himself to all
the same obligations. Khalsa members were given a new name- Singh for men, and
Kaur for women- to identify their transformation and unity, and were committed
to observing both outward signs of their commitment (the 5 K's of Sikhism) and
committed to a shared moral code. Later, upon his death, Gobind Singh refused
to select a human successor, saying that the Khalsa order and the collected
scriptures (Guru Granth Sahib) would serve as the sources of authority for
Sikhs.
Suggested
Observances: Sikh
gurdwaras will often hold a mela (holiday fair) or procession for Vaisakhi. If
you aren't able to join a communal celebration, telling the story of Vaisakhi
and other stories of the Gurus can connect you to their faith. Also, given the
Khalsa emphasis on degh (kettle) as well as tegh (sword), sharing a large
Punjabi meal with others is a worthwhile celebration of Vaisakhi.
Texts: The 52 Hukams (Commands)
of Guru Gobind Singh were reportedly given as instructions to the Khalsa
several years after it was organized. While the provenance of the document is
questionable, the general perspective and overall pattern of instruction
reflects the Khalsa tradition well.
Sunday, April 14: Palm
Sunday
Significance: For much of his ministry, Jesus deflected
honors and praise, and insisted on secrecy regarding his divine mission. In his
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, however, Jesus entered the sacred city as king,
and heir of the throne of David. He received the praise and honor of the
thronging crowd gathered for the pilgrimage feast. And then he entered the
temple, and, by cleansing it, declared himself to be a ruler of the temple as
well. While Jesus declared that his kingdom is not of this world, it is clear
from his arrival in Jerusalem that he was willing to declare himself a king,
with authority on earth as well as in heaven. Crucially, his triumphal entry
was followed swiftly by his suffering and death on behalf of the people. The
kingdom he established is one in which all are invited to join with him by
taking up the cross and facing persecution and humiliation for the sake of
heaven.
Suggested Observances: Palm Sunday services often include a
solemn procession with palm fronds as a reenactment of the triumphal entry. For
Palm Sunday, I like to meditate on my own loyalty to Christ as King, and on
what makes his Kingdom different than all the political and social orders of
this world.
Texts: Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 12
Thursday, April 18 to
Sunday, April 21: Paschal Triduum
Significance: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy
Saturday form a preparatory period for Easter, and as a time to ponder on the
Savior's suffering and death which preceded his resurrection. Maundy Thursday
takes its name from the mandate given by Christ following the washing of feet,
that as he loves us, we must also love each other. It commemorates Christ's
last supper and final instructions to his disciples. Good Friday commemorates
his trials, crucifixion and death, and the vigil of the women at the foot of
the cross. Holy Saturday reminds us of the grief of the disciples at Jesus'
death, his body in the tomb, and his harrowing of hell prior to his total
conquest over death and the grave. The portion of the triduum preceding Easter
is a time of mourning, and a recognition of the cost and pain the precedes
glory and rejoicing. It is also a time of profound gratitude to Christ for his
willingness to pour out his soul as a sacrifice for our salvation.
Suggested observances: Traditionally, the altars of a church
are stripped to show mourning following services on Maundy Thursday, and are
not restored until Easter. Maundy Thursday is often also celebrated with
reenactments of the washing of the feet, with disciples taking literally the
command "As I have loved you, love one another" by offering exactly
the same demonstration of love that Christ offered. I have attended Good Friday
services which conclude with a vigil in darkness in which all lights are extinguished.
While these are days of mourning, we should not mourn alone, but gather
together in memory of the Lord.
Texts: Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 22-23, John
13-19
Sunday, April 21: Easter
Significance: Easter Sunday celebrates Jesus' resurrection
and glorious triumph over death and hell. Easter also carries the promise of
our own redemption and renewal. Though we may be dead, killed by sin, we too
can experience newness of life through the resurrection of Christ and his
redeeming power. Christ's resurrection also serves as God's rebuke to the
corrupt authorities and patterns of unjust rule and tyrannical power which led
to Christ's arrest and crucifixion, as Peter declared before the Sanhedrin in
Acts 4:10-12. Easter proves God's commitment to fulfill his covenant and to
offer salvation to all nations, kindreds, tongues and people.
Suggested observances: I like a good easter egg hunt as much
as anyone, and I love dying eggs. And of course, gathering with family and
friends for an Easter dinner is wonderful. An Easter Vigil or another service
that focuses on the joy of the Resurrection draws us close to the heart of the
feast. Easter is truly a day of rejoicing for God's fulfillment of all his
promises, and of the future blessings that lie in store for all his children.
Texts: Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20,
1 Corinthians 15, Colossians 3, Alma 36
Friday, April 19 to
Saturday, April 27: Pesach
Significance: Pesach, or Passover, is the first of
the feasts of the Jewish liturgical calendar to appear in the Torah. The
instructions on how to celebrate the feast of unleavened bread precede the
account of the deliverance from Egypt, as if the commandment to celebrate
deliverance precedes deliverance itself. In Pesach, God reveals his character
as a deliverer of the oppressed and a champion of slaves and captives. In
Pesach, God demonstrates power over kingdoms, emperors, and the forces of
nature. In Pesach, God both assures his covenant with Abraham and establishes a
new covenant with the mixed multitude including Abraham's descendants and all
who joined with them in seeking escape from Pharoah.
Suggested observances: Hold a seder, in the manner described
by the sages of the Talmud and according to the traditions passed down by three
thousand years of Israelites and Jews. Be careful-- Christian seders often miss
the mark of the Passover, expressing a supersessionist fallacy that fails to
understand the significance of God's redeeming power for his people in Egypt by
seeing Passover solely as a prefiguration of Easter. While Jesus intentionally
used the Paschal Feast to teach his disciples of the sacrifice he would make
and the redemptive covenant it established, and while Easter reflects the glory
of Pesach, they are separate feasts, and the lessons of Passover go far beyond
its mirrored elements in the Lord's supper and Passion.
Texts: Exodus, in particular Exodus 12-14,
Tractate Pesahim from the
Talmud, the Hagaddah (I'm linking
to the Chabad online Hagaddah, which is a fairly traditional text. Many other hagaddot
are available for every possible flavor of Judaism, and you can search for them
yourself)