Easter, Plague, and Hope

As the middle of April meets us with snowfall and chilly temperatures, I have a hard time believing it is Easter.

That, combined with the global pandemic of COVID-19, Stay-At-Home orders from the state government, as well as almost every aspect of life seeming upside down, it can be difficult to find hope or comfort in all of this.

And, to be fair, there is a lot of bad news out there. Casualty figures are climbing, different states and politicians are chomping at the bit to return to “business as usual” for the sake of the almighty dollar, and many of us are becoming more aware of the deep impact this all has on our friends, families, and businesses we care about.

Perhaps this will turn out to be one of the most meaningful Easter seasons because of this.

After all, the Easter message meets us where we are, in our own tears, grief, and disbelief. God interrupts our sorrow with an earthquake and overwhelming joy: He is not here! He is Risen!

And we, like the disciples, take a while to believe. We doubt. We ask for proof.

And, God provides us that proof.

The love of God is still very real this Easter. We see it in innovative ways of caring for and supporting each and every member of our community. In Zoom meetings, phone calls, text messages, and uplifting memes.

As we maneuver together through this, I am reminded of the writing of Paul in his letter to the Romans.

Paul writes, “ And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” (Romans 5: 3-5 NRSV).

It is really hard to feel like there is goodness in much of this, but if we pay close enough attention, we can see the hope and the promise of the love of God in the ways we are being intentional with each other, right now.

May God bless you this Easter season.

Dan Miglets-Nelson