Easter Hope

Easter is usually that holiday where families gather together again, share in a big meal, and sometimes even go to church together. It’s a day that’s filled with easter egg hunts, baskets for children, a lot of candy, joy, laughter, feasting. Most of all, Easter gives us hope. But, this year is different.

The world has seen the rise of the COVID-19 over the past few weeks. The number of infected continue to grow, along with the number of deaths. Our economy is tanking, people are beginning to panic, and we seem to be left in this blur of hopelessness.

In the church it’s the day

However, we need to be anything but hopeless on Easter. Easter is a day of hope.

In we read a story where hope seems absent. Jesus has been crucified and buried in a tomb. Mary Magdalene, a devoted follower of Jesus, came to the tomb that Jesus had been buried in and saw that the stone was removed. She ran to get Simon Peter and the “other disciple” and when they came to the tomb they saw it empty with only the linens that wrapped Jesus there. Filled with hopelessness, they left.

But, Mary stayed at the tomb. Not only did she stay but she showed her emotions on her sleeve. She wept tears of pain, of agony, of desperation, of despair, of hopelessness. Her Lord’s body was moved and defiled. But, angels interrupted her mourning and asked her why she was weeping. She said, “I do not know where they have laid him.”

Then, turning around, she saw another man who also asked her why she was weeping and who she was looking for. After explaining her grief and hopelessness, the man said, “Mary!” At this moment she saw that this man was the risen Jesus Christ! And at this moment she was filled with joy, her pain was gone, agony vanished, and her desperation was conquered. But, above all else, her hope was restored.

At just the knowledge of this she was filled with joy, her pain was gone, agony vanished, and her desperation was conquered. But, above all else, her hope was restored.

COVID-19 has brought upon us a lot of hopelessness. Whether you are fearful of getting sick, or you’ve been laid off, or you’re struggling to pay your bills, or you’re fighting being lonely and isolated…no matter what the issue is we are all like Mary at the tomb, hopeless.

But, Easter, the day when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, is a day that should fill us with hope. I am filled with hope because Christ conquered death. As we continue to struggle during a time of unprecedented hopelessness, we too must hear Christ calling out our names today and be filled with hope.

Hopelessness is the exact thing that brings us down and sends us into turmoil. So, take today to be filled with the hope that Jesus gives. Let hope steer you, not fear. Like Mary, in the midst of hopelessness, we too can find hope again.

One of my favorite Easter hymns says this, “Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone, because I know He hold the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.”

Because Jesus lives, because he defeated death, I am filled with hope, not fear.

I pray that you all have a blessed Easter, and that we can all continue to trust in God even in the midst of these painful and hard days.