This past Sunday was Easter - the most important day of the entire Christian year. It's a day when we celebrate that Christ has risen from the dead; when we celebrate that death does not have the final victory. We spend time with our families and loved ones, eat great food, and smell the wonderful flowers around us. It is a day of great joy.
Yet, inspite of this day of great joy, we know that our lives continue. We are still without loved ones who have gone before us. People still suffer from illness, both large and small. Relationships continue to be broken. Life is not perfect, and oftentimes it's not even halfway easy or peaceful.
The Easter promise and joy does not mean that we won't deal with all the harsh realities of life. It doesn't mean that bad things won't happen to us or to those whom we love. What Easter does mean is that Jesus Christ understood what it means to suffer and die. Jesus knows what we endure as humans, and his Spirit will help us through whatever we encounter. We have that assurance that God is always with us, especially during the painful times.
Henri Nouwen wrote these words in Show Me the Way, "Easter season is a time of hope. There still is fear, there still is a painful awareness of sinfulness, but there also is light breaking through. Something new is happening, something that goes beyond the changing moods of our life. We can be joyful or sad, optimistic or pessimistic, tranquil or angry, but the solid stream of God's presence moves deeper than the small waves of our minds and hearts. Easter brings the awareness that God is present even when his presence is not directly noticed. Easter brings the good news that, although things seem to get worse in the world, the Evil One has already been overcome. Easter allows us to affirm that although God seems very distant and although we remain preoccupied with many little things, our Lord walks with us on the road and keeps explaining the Scriptures to us. Thus there are many rays of hope casting their light on our way through life."
1 comment:
Keep up the good work.
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