April 2016

There are two days that stand out in our thoughts when those thoughts turn to the month of April. One is Easter in those years when it falls in April. The other is April Fool’s Day. Many of us have fond memories of a special prank we pulled off or enough time has passed by when we can at least smile about a prank pulled on us. I recall early in our marriage when money was extremely tight. We were recently married and I was an E4 in the Navy (who did not make much money in 1979). Pam told me, “My friend (unnamed) is in financial trouble so I wrote her a check for $100 to help out.” This sent me into a tizzy and I began to rant about her friend being in trouble because she was irresponsible and the fact that some checks written to cover bills would now bounce. Pam let me work myself into quite a lather and then gleefully declared “April Fool!” I can laugh about that now; I don’t recall laughing much at that moment. 
As I read the Gospels, I find several instances where I see Christ having a sense of humor as He taught a lesson that set religious leaders on their ear or acted in a way that thwarted a plan of theirs. For example, in Matthew 12:9-14 when the religious leaders were looking to use Jesus healing someone as fodder to accuse Him of violating Sabbath Law or traditions, Jesus told the man with the withered hand to stretch out his hand. Neither telling someone to stretch out their hand or the act of stretching one’s hand violated anything. The man stretched out his hand and it was restored, but Jesus had not pronounced a healing so there was nothing they could accuse Him of. I can picture Jesus turning and looking at the religious leaders with a Cheshire cat grin that communicated “got ya!” On April 
Fool’s Day when our prank works and we fool someone, the declaration “April Fool!” is like saying “got ya!”

When Jesus was crucified, Satan was the ultimate April Fool because he thought he had won. Three days later when the stone rolled away from the tomb, Jesus could very well have said to Satan and to death, “You think you had killed me but here I am alive and well; got ya!” 
Jesus being raised and ascending also led to an act that we also have a day for in April. April 2nd is Reconciliation Day. That is a day for restoring broken relationships. Through the defeat of death at the cross, Jesus paved the way for the reconciliation of man with God and restores a relationship that had been shattered at the fall. This in turn gives each of us who have proclaimed Christ our Lord and Savior the opportunity to rewrite our epitaph. We get to rewrite it because the last day written on the gravestone no longer lists the last day of our life; it will be listing the day we graduated to our celestial forever home. In getting to rewrite our epitaphs, we carry out another action that is celebrated in April. April 6th is “Write Your Own Epitaph Day.” 
Perhaps our stone will say “Death, you thought you had me; April Fool!” 
Have a blessed month, 
Vic