This year, Easter falls during what is being called the “the week of death” due to the coronavirus.  It is the week (or two) when the outbreak is to peak in our country.

Some would say that this is really bad timing as far as Easter is concerned.  I would say that the timing couldn’t be better.

In the face of such devastating loss of life due to this virus, we need to be surrounded by the truth of Easter and the power of our resurrection faith.

Because of Easter, we can have confidence that we will make it through this horrible pandemic. 

And when it comes to those who have died and are dying—and there are far too many—we can have complete confidence, in the midst of our sadness, that the stone has been rolled away for them and they have entered into their own resurrection in God’s light.

Easter says the death has no power over us.  Death is never an end.  As much as we value life and cherish those who live with us here, we all belong to a much larger life than this physical one.  In that ultimate, eternal, deathless life nothing is ever lost. 

Life, eternal life, is consequently forever and always stronger than death.  Easter pulls back the curtain, for just a moment, to reveal that great truth.

And for those of us who are pulling through this difficult time here, Easter gives us new energy and hope for our world in the here and now.  It says that we are Easter people who are charged with proclaiming the Good News of Christ’s ability to restore, refresh, and re-create.

We are those who are called to build the Easter kingdom of God that Jesus came to proclaim.  It is the realm of God founded on love, cooperation, justice, and grace.

If we ever needed a dose of good news, it is now.  And we have it!  We have it in the story of those who came to grieve and instead were given cause to rejoice.

Their joy rings down through the centuries and, I pray, surrounds you now with hope and assurance for the living of these days.

Happy Easter!

–Rev. Dominic