We will remember yesterday’s Easter as one like none other in our life time. Instead of churches being full with the highest attendance of the year, the vast majority of churches were empty as many Christians worshipped using some kind of online platform if available. This meant giving up many joyous Easter traditions in favor of remaining confined to home in order to help prevent the spread of a COVID-19. There was a sense of loss, sadness, and even grief in the face of ongoing fear, uncertainty, suffering, and death. Although this seems like a strange and unique way to observe Easter, I think it has much in common with one other Easter – the first one. In all four gospel accounts, Easter morning was not a time of joy and celebration The women who were the first witnesses of the empty tomb and the angel’s message of Jesus’ resurrection were filled with a mixture of fear and joy. When they shared their witness with Jesus’ male disciples, the men refused to believe them and remained locked away (physically and spiritually) in fear. It was only later that evening that Jesus’ resurrection became a reality when Jesus himself came to them. Even then, the Scripture intentionally includes the fact that their joy was mixed with amazement, fear and doubt. That first Easter was not the triumphant end of the journey for those first believers. Rather it was the beginning of a whole “new normal” that would include ups and downs, joys, and sadness, faith and failure. That sounds like our ongoing journey of faith and life in general and our present reality of life during this pandemic in particular. The good news of the gospel is not that Jesus makes us immune from suffering but that the living Jesus is with us in any and all circumstances including suffering.
In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil there was a vivid and beautiful visual image of the true message of Easter. The famous Christ the Redeemer statue that towers over the city was illuminated to look like a doctor. The illumination took another form as the flags of countries around the world impacted by the pandemic were projected onto the statue along with the word “Hope” in the primary language of each nation. Apart from this pandemic, it is likely that these powerful images would not have been shared with the world. Even as we struggle to see a way through to the end of the pandemic, we have the assurance of Jesus’ presence with us through the Holy Spirit and through the embodied presence of those who share the self-giving love of God in so many ways. Watch the video posted below that captures the essence of Easter.