Faith traditions coincide with joy and beauty of springtime | Candace McKibben

I recall once during a season of depression, my beloved physician assuring me that the increased light in springtime would be a helpful antidote.

He was right. It is my prayer for all of us who may be feeling overwhelmed by the heartache in the world and in our lives, that this glorious season of lengthening days and incredible beauty, this season when, as the ancient hymn describes, “earth her joy confesses clothing her for spring,” will lighten the mood in downcast spirits.

This coming week, several religions have festivals or holy days that add to the joy and beauty of the spring season.

Jewish holiday of Purim

The Jewish community will be celebrating Purim, known as the most fun-filled holiday of the Jewish year.

Honored this year on the evening of March 23 and continuing March 24, the festival celebrates the salvation of the Jews from Haman’s plot to annihilate all the Jews in Ancient Persia more than 2,000 years ago as told in the book of Esther. It also affirms the courage of Queen Esther and all Jews since to claim their Jewishness.

There are four elements to the festival, including reading the entire book of Esther twice, sending a substantial gift of food to a friend, giving at least two needy people a gift of food or cash, and a joyful, lavish communal meal. Involving noise makers, costumes, indulgent food, drink, and laughter, Temple Israel (among other Jewish groups in Tallahassee) offers a variety of ways to celebrate at temple-israel.org.

Holy Week and Palm Sunday

In Christian congregations, the joyous and peaceful entry of Jesus into Jerusalem will be the theme on March 24 for Palm Sunday. Recorded in all four gospel narratives, the crowds welcomed Jesus with the waving of palm branches, creating a pathway with their garments, shouting hosannas.

In churches all over the world as well as here in Tallahassee, children and adults will reenact this moment of joy that begins the last week of Jesus’ life, a week referred to as Holy Week, leading to Easter Sunday. Trinity United Methodist Church is but one of many churches in our community that will be celebrating Palm Sunday with a palm processional on March 24. See trinitymp.org for their Holy Week schedule.

Hindu festival of Holi

Holi, an ancient Hindu festival dating to 4CE, celebrated first in India and now in places around the world, is being officially held on March 25 this year. Also known as the festival of colors, love, and spring, it involves in part throwing colored water and colored powder at each other in playful banter.

Once made exclusively of flowers, the colored powders are stunningly beautiful. Based on several ancient Hindu legends, Holi encourages staying positive, goodness over evil, and a moment of reprieve from the societal norms that divide us. In our community, Holi is being celebrated on March 23 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Langford Green.

Also, the India Association of Tallahassee will be hosting a Holi Celebration at AJ Henry Park on Saturday, March 30, 2024, from 11 a.m.- 2 a.m. for its members. Holi has become increasingly popular outside of India in large part because of the millions of Indians and other South Asians living all over the world.

Ramadan

Beyond these three imminent religious celebrations there, are other religious springtime observances. Set by the lunar calendar, as are all these spring celebrations, the Islamic observance of Ramadan has been ongoing this year since the evening of March 10, and will continue until April 9 for our Muslim neighbors. Ramadan commemorates the month during which Muslims believe the prophet Muhammed received the first revelations of the Quran, their holy scripture.

While they do not eat or drink during daylight hours during this holy month, Muslims find the fasting, introspection, practice of gratitude, scripture reading, prayer and giving to charity to be both meaningful and joyful. The evening breaking of the fast after sunset (iftar) is often enjoyed in community, and the final breaking of the fast on “Eid Al Fitr” is particularly joyous. The Islamic Center of Tallahassee has more information.

Passover

Passover, an eight-day festival celebrating the Jewish liberation from slavery in Egypt, is one of the most important Jewish holidays of the year, falling on April 22-30, 2024. The “Haggadah,” the core text of the Passover seder, is being reimagined this year by many congregations considering the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

In addition to the seminal “Four Questions” recited during the seder, which ask, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” some rabbis, scholars, and leaders suggest additional text this year to reflect the feelings of seder attendees.

According to an article in “The Jewish Telegraphic Agency,” a potential change might be to include, “On all other nights, we think that we have answers. Tonight, we all just stay silent,” says the passage, which is in Hebrew. “On all other nights, we remember, sing and cry. … On this night, we only cry.”

Religion and sacred rituals

A new PEW research center survey released on March 14 (polling 12,693 U.S. adults from Feb. 13-25, 2024) indicates that 8 of 10 Americans say religion is losing influence in public life, and 49% say both that religion is losing influence and that this is bad. While there is certainly legitimate cause for concern and correction in many religions and religious institutions, I am grateful that we still have people who find value in religions and the sacred rituals they offer.

Robin Dunbar, emeritus professor of evolutionary psychology at the University of Oxford and author of “How Religion Evolved and Why It Endures,” says religious people are more likely to feel that they belong to a community, and the practice of religious rituals triggers physiological responses that help seal that sense of connectedness.

She also says that the cognitive abilities that allow for religious discussion involving understanding what another is thinking, imagining beyond what is, and acknowledging parallel worlds, is what gives us science and literature in addition to religion, enriching civilization.

I am deeply appreciative of the remarkable power of nature and its beauty to lift the human spirit as my doctor prescribed long ago. I am also grateful for the many ways spring has inspired rich and supportive rituals in many of the religions of the world. With so much chaos and sorrow in the world, I am encouraged to know that religion, while not for everyone, is still a source of strength for many, some in the most desperate situations, in finding hope.

The Rev. Candace McKibben is an ordained minister and pastor of Tallahassee Fellowship.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Joy and beauty of spring celebrated among many faiths