Holy Week is always a movable feast. And this year, the meal is earlier than usual. Easter Sunday, in fact, is still one of the few holidays where people must actually consult the stars before making plans. Would that people did as much before planning other aspects of their lives.
For many vacationers, of course, having Holy Week come early only means there will be a nip in the air when they tug on their swimming trunks. Spring break is the new Easter weekend.
But then it's easy to carp about the good old days when Easter was Easter and people actually bought a new outfit for church on Easter Sunday, not for Acapulco. Being negative doesn't take work. Helping out does. Many American Indian tribes see complaining as personal weakness. Would that the world had a little more that attitude in it, as well.
By their nature holidays have their signature emotions. There is the gratitude of Thanksgiving, the celebrations of the Fourth of July, the sense of giving and sharing that comes with Christmas. And Holy Week, with its many aspects, is a rainbow of those emotions. Christians feel the triumph in Palm Sunday, the longing of Maunde Thursday, the despair of Good Friday, the hope of Holy Saturday and the brightness of Easter Sunday.
And this year, instead of wishing things were different, we urge Utahns to try to make things different. If the Christmas spirit entails generosity, the Easter spirit entails rebirth and reawakening. Spring is a fine time for new beginnings. And it doesn't take a lot of effort to find ways to freshen one's own life, as well as the lives those nearby. Just an extra smile and greeting here and there would be enough to add a ray of warmth to someone who's struggling. Rekindling a friendship with a letter, e-mail or phone call can reawaken hibernating feelings from years ago.
People feed off encouragement. And Holy Week is a natural time to nourish others with a positive comment, an uplifting thought or a pat on the back.
Spring is a time of rejuvenation for the earth.
Easter can be a time of rejuvenation for the soul.
There may be a chill in the air when the day rolls around this year. It doesn't often come in March. But that doesn't mean there has to be a chill in the heart. And the human touch can go a long way to melting the ice that crusts on those who feel most lost and alone.