“The great gift of Easter is hope.” ~ Basil Hume
The pandemic is really starting to wear on people. The pandemic is now more than numbers. The pandemic has gotten really personal as some of those “numbers” have turned into family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers. These are the kinds of times that some lose their way or lose their faith. They find it way too difficult to continue believing in God.
If there is any time that we need hope, it would definitely be now. People need to see light at the end of the tunnel. They need to see that we will be off of stay-in-place directives. They need to get back to their regular lives. Any of those will give them the hope for which they are looking.
There is something else, however, that gives us hope: the great gift of Easter. Easter came to a people that had no hope. Their only hope, Jesus Christ, had been taken from them, tried, convicted, beat, crucified, and killed. When He was placed in a tomb, their hope was vanquished. Many of His followers were not even around for His burial. They had already fled the city so that they would not be targeted as the next to die.
Something rather unexpected happened, though. Jesus rose from the dead. He referred to that a couple of times while He was with His followers. They never understood what He meant by the reference to rise from the dead and, even if they did, they could not take it very seriously. Even though Jesus had the power to raise others from the dead, it would seem to be impossible to raise Himself since He would be dead. How could that happen? It was unimaginable.
God is more than any of us could ever imagine. He defies all attempts to understand Him. Yet, He exists: always has and always will. His love for us is real. He gives it freely: always has and always will.
What we are going through now is transitory. It might not end right away; but, it will end sooner or later and we will be back to our “normal” lives. Maybe this time is an opportunity for us to realize just how much or how little time we have made for God in our lives and to adjust accordingly.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to show you reasons to hope in Him this day.