This year might be a challenge for us in celebrating our most celebrated event of Easter. Without social gatherings, colored eggs, or toilet paper, what is this going to look like?
I suppose observing objectively from a distance it might be a new tradition dubbed Thanks-easter-ween, merging Thanksgiving with the exponential stockpiling of exceedingly stuffed carts, Halloween as we all don our handmade masks, and Easter albeit without the eggs.
As families gather together, or more appropriately distance together, we can reminisce about how the world used to have toilet paper, shaking hands wasn’t a sin, and going to the beach wasn’t a violation. Our conversations will explore how Vodka companies now produce hand sanitizers, Los Angeles is only 35 minutes away without traffic, and do I buy a dress for graduation or just a top since we are graduating on Zoom?
Fear has replaced this season of frolic and I question why? Tragically, the Coronavirus fatalities has reached 32,000 cases. Yet, car accidents claim the lives of 1,250,000 per year and no one yet has opted for public transportation. Annual snakebite fatalities are 70,000 yet again we have not banned hiking. Domestic violence is responsible for 30,000 deaths; however, we haven’t vetoed marriage. Congruently, why isn’t Thanksgiving being cancelled if over 6,000 people die of choking?
Life will always be beautiful and tragic simultaneously. Yet, if we look at scripture to count all trials joy, we find times like these compel us to dig deeper, believe harder and pray more fervently.
In spite of this tribulation, heroism is at its peak. Front line workers, first responders, firemen, policemen, are sacrificing their own lives for the lives of others. In recognition, every evening at 5 p.m. New Yorkers are standing outside their balconies in standing ovations as these workers leave their shift. California, Washington, and Oregon are donating ventilators to the federal stockpiles for those in greater need.
For the first time in a long time the meaning of Passover from April 8 to April 16 is hitting home. Nationwide prayer and repentance has swept over not only our country, but the entire world as we unite crying out for God to heal our land, and for the Coronavirus to passover. An unprecedented global communion took place on April 8 as believers worldwide honored the sacrifice made on the cross freeing us from the curse of our own iniquities, and receiving the blessing of salvation, not only personally, but for our land.
This Easter will not be celebrated together with a traditional Easter egg hunt. Nor with baskets of chocolates and candy. We are not doing Easter this year, we are experiencing the true meaning of Easter: sacrificing for others, repenting for lives out of alignment, overcoming fear of the future for faith in God’s protection. Above all else, the glorious first Easter when Christ rose again, giving us the gift of resurrection power reconciling us to an abundant life with God.
I am celebrating passover as they did 2,000 years ago with a red ribbon on my door, symbolizing the blood of the lamb, believing and declaring that evil cannot enter my household. I am taking daily communion trusting in God’s provision one day at a time.
This year celebrating the Easter of 2020 might be the best Easter we have ever celebrated. Perhaps unknowingly, looking back on the treasures gleaned from this trial, we found the golden egg after all
Lisa Hamilton/ The Hamilton Post