I know all the local sizzle is on the new Archbishop steak. But I can’t help but pass along this Easter-inspired sprint around the globe by a New York Times guest columnist who goes by the one-word name Bono. Above is one choice quote in a column packed full.

Here’s another…

Christianity, it turns out, has a rhythm - and it crescendos this time of year. The rumba of Carnival gives way to the slow march of Lent, then to the staccato hymnals of the Easter parade. From revelry to reverie. After 40 days in the desert, sort of …

Near the end he begins to describe our global crisis as an overheated economic Carnival that has now left us in the Lent of recession. Which actually gives me hope. Because it’s Lent that makes Easter taste so sweet.

Or as the old preacher’s formula goes: “Friday’s here. But Sunday’s coming…”

…

An Apostle’s Easter Thoughts on Christ

Though Easter is now a week behind us, this video — linked above – posted in celebration of Easter continues to receive hits. A press release explains the popularity of this Easter message:

SALT LAKE CITY 13 April 2009 A short Easter video from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints quickly spread over the weekend to become the top “viral” video on the Internet, according to the Viral Video Chart.

The four-and-a- half-minute video was extracted from an address delivered by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, of the Church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, at the faith’s general conference on April 4–5, in which he spoke of the final moments in the life of Jesus Christ and talked directly to those who feel alone or abandoned.

Read more: Click here.

Seven-year-old Joseph Hofheins reacts to eating matzah with horseradish during the bitter herbs part of the Passover ceremony, which also included music and dancing. (Stuart Johnson, Deseret News)

Latter-day Saints (Mormon or LDS) have long felt a kinship with Jewish brothers and sisters. It’s becoming popular in recent years for Latter-day Saints (LDS) to take their feelings of kinship to a more active level. Some are participating in a Seder in addition to the traditional Easter services and remembrance observed this time of year.

I remember a few years ago a women’s activity at our local unit of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to make Seder plates. We spent the evening decorating the plates and learning the traditions of the Seder. I really enjoyed the activity. It gave me a great appreciation for the common heritage Christians and Jews share.

Latter-day Saints in areas of Utah are developing large activities for this special time of year. The following news-story is from Deseret…

Christ Pantocrator, Cefalù Cathedral, Polermo, Italy, 12th century. Found on www.edgeofenclosure.com. Notice that the halo is also a cross.

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: [...] let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

That prayer is part of the Proper Liturgy for Good Friday, which I attended at my parish yesterday.  I will admit that I spent most of the service on the verge of tears (and parts of it well beyond the verge), but this is the point where I really felt myself brought short…