Easter is here after a week where we have experienced some real tragedies in the country and around the world. We have just witnessed the killing of school children and teachers in Nashville, Tennessee, we have seen the war in Ukraine intensify, the former President of the US has been indicted and a tornado has ripped through Southwest United States, leaving destruction and killing dozens; gang violence and drug trafficking have plagued the Caribbean region.
We come to Easter to celebrate and renew our faith, and many of us are emotionally, spiritually and physically exhausted. There is no denying that it is difficult to confront Easter and why a trip to church is so meaningful, and the traditional trappings of the Easter holiday have to be so meaningful. Regardless of what is happening in our world, the power and importance of Easter must remain as it always has been, for even in the time of trouble, we must not forget the message of the day that represents the heart of the Christian belief, the Risen Christ.
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The words of comfort were straightforward a thousand years ago after they were first authored, and they remain relevant and a key part of the foundation on which the faith of about a billion Christians rests.
“Do not be amazed, you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here.”
With these few words recorded in the gospel of St. Mark, today people are clinging to the Bible for reassurance that their Christian beliefs are firmly grounded in a real-life experience and that the message is being repeated with reverence in prayers, hymns, sermons and other ways during the Good Friday and Easter festivals that are observed in almost every corner of the globe; they are crucial elements of the story of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus that bring tears and later joy and renewal during Holy Week – assurance was given to the woman by a youth dressed in white, and provided comfort to Mary Magdalene and two other believers in Christ. Come to the tomb carved out of a rock on a hillside called Golgotha, to anoint Jesus’ body with spices.
When they arrived they were in shock, they found an empty burial place, and as Mark explained, they fled trembling and in astonishment, for they were afraid.
So during this Easter season, Church goers will flock to the house of Worships across the world, beginning with Palm Sunday through Good Friday, and extending through Easter Sunday.
They are giving expression and meaning to the passion, the grief, the pain, and finally exhilaration of the risen Christ. The scene began with the tragedy of the trial and the death of Jesus, and culminated with the exhilaration of resurrection.
It is therefore no wonder that the Caribbean immigrants cast their minds back to their respective birthplaces or places of heritage at this time of the year where solemnity is the order of the day. In the US where Good Friday is not a religious or a public holiday Caribbean immigrants from all countries can’t help but think of Easter and its significance in the way it is observed in their birthplace or place of heritage.
Good Friday in New York is just like any other day. You go to work, put in your hours, get on the train and back home to family; not so in the Caribbean, Good Friday is solemnly observed and Holy Week is a time of reflection. In mostCaribbean countries, we look back on challenges, opportunities, successes and yes, and of course failure. Essential to all of those things is the mission of Jesus, the prince of peace, as many dutifully and with reverence call him.
We are more aware than ever how desperately we need God in our lives. The opportunity to return to God during the Easter period as Christians celebrate Jesus’ victory over death for all rich and poor, sinners and saints alike.
We must remember that during these challenging times that the hope represented by Easter helps sustain Christians whose faith was tested by far greater difficulties than those before us.
Focusing on eternal truth reminds us that the troubles we are facing are temporary. Religious faith is a very valuable tool at this time. It doesn’t mean we should wait for a miracle, but rather we should be inspired as what is necessary to help many who are in need due to this crisis. The promise of a new life is evident for all in this season.
May the hope of a brighter day be an inspiration to us all and that the example of Jesus be our guiding light.
Happy Easter!
