A year has passed since my last Easter message and here we are in about the same spot as then. There is a saying “things will get worse before they get better”, so by my calculation better must be just around the corner!
That said, we must continue to do our part and be vigilant as we overcome this persistent virus. We shall prevail.
Easter can be confusing. Should we feel sad, or should we feel happy? Should we mourn and dwell on Jesus’s death, or joyous on His triumph over death, making our salvation, our place in eternity, possible?
Good Friday some 2,000 years ago was a bleak and devastating day for that small band of believers who followed Jesus. Yet three days later, on Easter Sunday, what joy and jubilation! Granted, it took a while for it to set in, and some doubted it more strongly than others, but eventually they believed the wonder of their witness. Although Jesus had ministered prior to His crucifixion, His resurrection ushered in the Kingdom of God.
Many of you know I use stories for emphasis. I am going to share something personal with you, that although emotional, has brought clarity to the Easter narrative for me. Our son Ryan’s mantra is “it is what it is”, which effectively means some things cannot be changed and must be accepted. Jesus’s crucifixion undoubtably was an “it is what it is” moment. There was nothing the disciples or followers could do. The indisputable fact was Jesus was crucified, they had to accept He died on the cross.
The morning of the day Ryan died, he reached out to his closest associates: “A lovely day to take control, be confident in your choices, and love the day to its fullest.” Is this not the message the disciples and followers received on that third day? Is this not a message of the Resurrection, a message of Easter?
Blessings and be well Clinton Halladay Chair, Elgin United Church Council