April is the fourth month in the Gregorian calendar. Prior to the reform of this calendar in 153 B.C., April was the second month of the Roman civil calendar, and the Roman name for the month, Aprilis, is thought to be derived from the Latin verb aperire, "to open," as buds do in April.

Whatever the precise etymology, for Christians and Jews, there is no uncertainty about the significance of the month. Both Easter and Passover usually occur in April, representing principal feasts of those religions. Much of the ritual in the Blue Lodge, the Scottish Rite, and the Royal Arch is derived from the Jewish Torah, which is called the Old Testament by Christians. The Knights Templar, a chivalric Masonic order of the York Rite, affirms the Christian New Testament as the basis of its tenets. So, Masonry is steeped in the faith traditions of Judaism and Christianity.

Passover and Easter both represent the fulfillment of agreements between humankind and God. For the Jews who suffered under the yoke of Egyptian bondage, the promise that God would hear the suffering of His people and deliver them through Moses came to pass. We read in Exodus that the Angel of Death came as the tenth plague and walked the streets slaying the firstborn in all houses. The Hebrews were protected by painting their door posts with lamb's blood, causing death to bypass them. The Hebrews then fled Egypt, as the Pharaoh now permitted them to leave. The ability of the Creator to manifest His power in support of a promise had been again demonstrated.

For Christians, Easter reflects the manifestation of the Creator's power in a somewhat different way. Due to the sinfulness which many Christians believe is inherent in the human condition, personal remission of sin is necessary via the intercession of the Savior, Jesus Christ, to allow the forgiveness of God. Only a Deity could offer a sacrifice worthy of salvation. Easter establishes the keeping of that promise, the Divine in our midst realigning the essential relationship between God and humanity.

Thus, April is a month of promises—promises kept, promises renewed and, perhaps, promises forgotten. The rebirth of spring is a good time for Masons to examine their covenants: our allegiance to our country, our duties to God, our families, our neighbors, and ourselves.