March 28, 2020 – I’ve been thinking about Easter
I’ve been thinking about Easter. At this point, it looks like we will not be able to gather for worship on Easter Sunday this year. The COVID-19 pandemic will still be with us by then, I fear.
It distresses me to think that we won't be in the church sanctuary hearing the story of Jesus' resurrection. We won't be eating and drinking the Holy Meal. We won't be singing, "Jesus Christ is risen today, a-a-a-leluia!"
Easter is the most important story of the Christian faith, and it will supremely weird for me not to be in the church with the congregation to celebrate.
So, I have been pondering what we can do to mark the date in other ways. I will let you know what ideas I have when we get closer to the date for Easter, but for now, here are some thoughts.
We in the northern hemisphere have the good fortune to celebrate Easter at the same time as spring is happening. It becomes easier to believe in resurrection when all around us the world is coming back to life. Every small green shoot pushing through the winter-weary soil is a small resurrection. Every field that turns from drab grey to shimmering lime green becomes another small resurrection. Every flower that bursts into bloom is another.
So, resurrection will happen, regardless of what we are doing. The ancient story re-told for us through the gospels will continue to resonate through the world. Even in this time when we are burrowing down in our individual homes, we can be assured that will be emerge into the sunlight at some point.
I also want to share with you a beautiful poem written by Thom Shuman.
if
it should happen
(and it well could)
i will miss the lilies,
the brass, the music,
the voices joined in swelling song;
i will miss the looks
on people's faces, and
the joy that fills the room;
i will miss giving
(once more into the fray, dear friends)
my faulty analysis
of an incomprehensible mystery . . .
but we are not
the people of the lily,
the people of brass instruments,
the people of grand music,
the people of easter finery;
we are
the people of the empty tomb,
the people who find empty clothes on a shelf,
the people who find our fears emptied out
on the ground by the hands of grace,
who brought our Friend
the bright sunlight of resurrection.
if
it should happen
(and it well could)
maybe this year
we will reclaim the empty tomb
as that symbol missing from our faith,
joining our Friend, our Brother,
our Guide, our Healer
in filling the emptiness of the world
with grace, with hope,
with joy, with wonder,
with life
the people we are called to be
(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman
This poem invites us to "reclaim the empty tomb," to "fill the emptiness of the world with grace, with hope, with joy, with wonder, with life." That is an invitation that does not require any particular date on the calendar. We just get to do it. In faith, we get to demonstrate the difference Easter can make.
I’ve been thinking about Easter. At this point, it looks like we will not be able to gather for worship on Easter Sunday this year. The COVID-19 pandemic will still be with us by then, I fear.
It distresses me to think that we won't be in the church sanctuary hearing the story of Jesus' resurrection. We won't be eating and drinking the Holy Meal. We won't be singing, "Jesus Christ is risen today, a-a-a-leluia!"
Easter is the most important story of the Christian faith, and it will supremely weird for me not to be in the church with the congregation to celebrate.
So, I have been pondering what we can do to mark the date in other ways. I will let you know what ideas I have when we get closer to the date for Easter, but for now, here are some thoughts.
We in the northern hemisphere have the good fortune to celebrate Easter at the same time as spring is happening. It becomes easier to believe in resurrection when all around us the world is coming back to life. Every small green shoot pushing through the winter-weary soil is a small resurrection. Every field that turns from drab grey to shimmering lime green becomes another small resurrection. Every flower that bursts into bloom is another.
So, resurrection will happen, regardless of what we are doing. The ancient story re-told for us through the gospels will continue to resonate through the world. Even in this time when we are burrowing down in our individual homes, we can be assured that will be emerge into the sunlight at some point.
I also want to share with you a beautiful poem written by Thom Shuman.
if
it should happen
(and it well could)
i will miss the lilies,
the brass, the music,
the voices joined in swelling song;
i will miss the looks
on people's faces, and
the joy that fills the room;
i will miss giving
(once more into the fray, dear friends)
my faulty analysis
of an incomprehensible mystery . . .
but we are not
the people of the lily,
the people of brass instruments,
the people of grand music,
the people of easter finery;
we are
the people of the empty tomb,
the people who find empty clothes on a shelf,
the people who find our fears emptied out
on the ground by the hands of grace,
who brought our Friend
the bright sunlight of resurrection.
if
it should happen
(and it well could)
maybe this year
we will reclaim the empty tomb
as that symbol missing from our faith,
joining our Friend, our Brother,
our Guide, our Healer
in filling the emptiness of the world
with grace, with hope,
with joy, with wonder,
with life
the people we are called to be
(c) 2020 Thom M. Shuman
This poem invites us to "reclaim the empty tomb," to "fill the emptiness of the world with grace, with hope, with joy, with wonder, with life." That is an invitation that does not require any particular date on the calendar. We just get to do it. In faith, we get to demonstrate the difference Easter can make.
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