6 years ago, when the reality of the pandemic hadn’t quite sunk in, many pastors said they were not going to celebrate Easter until they could be together in their sanctuary. They were expecting a quick fix and had no concept of how long it would take for it to be safe to once again gather in person. While we no longer need to be as cautious about the Corona Virus, today we still find ourselves grappling with how to celebrate resurrection when it feels like things are falling apart around us.
I can only imagine how it must have felt for those first disciples, so full of hope and apprehension as they and Jesus walked into Jerusalem, only to watch things unravel with lightning speed so that by Friday, Jesus was dead. But then, on Sunday, alive?! Dizzyingly disorienting.
We, like those first century faithful, wish for a sudden righting of the world. How nice it would be to wake up tomorrow and hear that all the wars have stopped; that all the world’s people are being fed and no one is being denied vital medical care.
Jesus’ resurrection didn’t suddenly change the world. The experts didn’t suddenly give us a cure for COVID. But in the midst of the struggle, people figured out how to have the hope of resurrection. The followers of Jesus, learned to be bold in sharing their Christian faith in the midst of a still dangerous world. Churches celebrated Easter in new and unique ways that brought blessings that were unimaginable before.
Resurrection calls us to boldly engage the powers of this world rather than retreating to an upper room with the doors locked, pretending that nothing bad is happening. The ultra-rich are fleecing the poor. Bombs are falling in Ukraine, all over the Middle East and beyond. Cubans are in dire straits due to blockades. Immigrants are being abused. Voting rights are being threatened. People are losing their housing and access to medical care. The number of guests at Manna meals are swelling. Too much! Too much!
The world didn’t change with Jesus’ resurrection but the hope in the hearts of Jesus’ followers did. May we use this season of Easter to focus on the hope of resurrection in the midst of all that we cannot control. May placing our trust in a loving God and a caring community, help us to find restful sleep. May our conversations and communion open our understanding, that we might imagine our small part in creating the beloved community where all are valued and nurtured.
Happy Easter to all you resurrection people! – Rev. Jennifer Geary
Read the full edition of the Spire here.