Nobody's Fool
The origin of April Fools' Day and the meaning of Easter.
Wow! This is great! We’ve been waiting for this special week with its special day to arrive. An annual spring tradition that originated in France in the mid 1500’s by the decree of either King Charles the IX or Pope Gregory – historians aren’t really sure which one. How will you celebrate it? Special surprise seasoning on foods? Vaseline on doorknobs? Perhaps the placement of a rubber band around the trigger of your kitchen sink hose sprayer so that, setting in its place, it’ll blast your favorite roommate or family member when they turn on the water. I am, of course, referring to April Fools’ Day.
Back in 16th century France, the new year began on April 1 but then King Charles and Pope Gregory implemented a new “Gregorian” calendar for the Christian world. It switched New Year’s Day from April 1 to January 1. Unfortunately, with communication in those days being without Hotmail, FedEx, IM, or CNN, many didn’t hear about the change. Others obstinately refused to make the switch. Such backward people came to be labeled “fools” and were made the objects of practical jokes or sent on “fools’ errands.” This harassment evolved over time into the practice of prank-playing on the first day of April. Like putting salt into the sugar shaker in your cupboard. Ah, deception at its best! That is, except for another spring day long ago when a few women with spices were sadly walking to a tomb they would soon discover to be surprisingly empty.
“April fools!” the angels at the tomb could have chuckled. Instead, they poked at the women with a loving question of rebuke yet also reassurance, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” In other words, if you’re looking for a dead guy you’re a fool if you think you’ll find one in this tomb.
Good news for us! How? Because Jesus did it. He did it and it doesn’t depend on your cooperation; it doesn’t depend on your interpretation; it doesn’t depend on a level of your appreciation. Jesus rose from the dead. Without your help he is risen.
It’s not up to you to find some bones somewhere outside Jerusalem and investigate whether or not they belong to Jesus. It’s not up to you to figure out exactly how the molecular structure of a human body could circumnavigate the atoms of rock. It’s not up to you to reach a certain level of moral behavior or religious understanding to attain heaven. It’s up to Jesus. He did it for you. He is risen. Because Jesus is risen, you know that God has accepted his death as your punishment for guilt. Because Jesus is risen, you know that the greatest powers of evil cannot manipulate you in your weakest moment. Because Jesus is risen, you know that the gates of eternal paradise in heaven have been opened to you and your Christian loved ones who die in the Lord.
Some churches still practice an ancient religious custom of gathering on the day after Easter and trading jokes. Stories with unexpected endings, surprise twists, even a sense of humor – to remind each other that in his battle for our souls against the power of sin and Satan, and the finality of death, Jesus had the last laugh. Celebrate Jesus’ resurrection today. Live your resurrection every day. And you’ll be nobody’s fool.
PRAYER: You did it, Jesus. You defeated death and because you live I also live! Change me, then, when I act so foolishly, thinking I am so alone, so weak, so incapable. Raise me up with resurrection confidence, resurrection strength, and resurrection joy to believe firmly and behave faithfully. Make me new every day to leave old, sinful ways behind and walk in newness of life. Amen.