Easter Sunday - an anchor of hope during the storm

by Theresita Joseph 

“The very first words, then, that I would like to say to every young Christian are these: Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive! He is in you, He is with you and He never abandons you. However far you may wander, he is always there, the Risen One… Risen, he shows us the light of his face, and he does not abandon all those experiencing hardship, pain and sorrow… He calls you and He waits for you to return to Him and start over again.”

 – Pope Francis, from his Urbi et Orbi message last Easter

Last year on Easter Sunday, I woke up to the sound of my dad crying. Worried and disoriented, I made my way downstairs to see my parents watching a BBC news screen displaying images of a familiar church in flames, with injured people being brought out on stretchers and others crying in agony. Sri Lanka, the country of my heritage and full of people I love, had been attacked. It was a sickening few moments of realising that this had not just been any attack, but a religiously driven one, with bombs timed to blow up several churches during their Easter Sunday mass services.

The rest of Easter Sunday for me was a blur, to say the least. Sitting in my own parish church for mass later that day, I struggled to share the joy of the Easter message I had been so ready to proclaim. Whilst, thankfully none of my family or friends had been hurt, I couldn’t stop the shock and sadness I felt for the victims who had lost their lives so tragically, and for the families broken within seconds. The worlds injustice was not news to me, yet it was the first time it had felt so close to home, both in faith and in family, and I couldn’t process why God had let it happen. 

Fast forward a year, and I find myself in the midst of another disillusioning Easter, albeit a very different one. Within a month, normal life has been turned upside down by a microscopic virus; keeping us within our homes and limiting those we can see, which feels especially foreign at Easter. For many, it has been a time of grief and fear; some have lost loved ones, some are worried for health, and some have had their livelihoods changed overnight. 

As I sat at home watching the Easter Triduum services online, it occurred to me how the the timing of both years events with the message of Easter could not have been more poignant. I was struck by the beautiful words MGR John Armitage shared in his Good Friday homily. He reminded us of how faith in Christ is our anchor during this storm; it does not mean the storm stops, but gives us hope to face it head on with confidence. He says; 

“The ultimate safe anchorage is the love of God, it is what guides us through every moment of our life. For this is the love that won’t disappoint us, for it doesn’t change or is based on the ups or downs of life we face – it is something that even death cannot take away”. 

Looking back to my confusion and sadness last Easter, I had let part of my hope in God go as I had been trying to navigate what felt like a storm of faith. I hadn’t been fully giving my doubts to God, because I didn’t think He would answer my questions, or provide ones I would understand. I was reluctant to trust; because I couldn’t see past the pain that had already occurred to so many innocent people. And through these doubts and fears that I entertained, I had lost sight of the true message of Easter.

For Easter is the foundation of our faith; it is not just an annual remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection 2000 years ago, but a celebration of the REALITY of a Risen Lord who lives with us in our broken world. From the cross, Jesus shows that there is no pain He has not endured, no injustice that He has not felt, and no love that is greater than what He has for us. And from the cross, Jesus tells us that He is there to share with us in our sorrows, not from a distance, but from our very hearts; as it is He who lives in us.

In our distress, Jesus promises us His peace; one which He promised to the disciples even before his own death; “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not let them be afraid” - John 14: 27.  And in our moments of disillusionment, He defines the basis of our hope clearly “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!”- John 16:33.

So, despite the new unknown storm that is here this Easter Sunday, I have courage because I choose to trust in Jesus, who came into this messy world and died to make His love known. In my moments of fear and confusion, I have courage that Jesus will be there to console and guide me, as it is what He promised. And I have courage despite what next year’s Easter may hold, as Jesus’ resurrection reminds me that there is nothing He can not overcome, and reveals there is more to life than this world. 

On this special Easter Sunday, let us therefore celebrate, and remember that our faith in God is the light that shines through the darkness. Though we are separated from one another, we are united by our hope and joy of our Risen Christ. Let us not be fearful by what we do not know or what we cannot change, but trust that Jesus will be by our side, as He always has. And as with any storm of life, we can await the rainbow, the sign of God’s love and promise to us, that all will be well with Him.

Have a happy and blessed Easter!

Prayer intentions: 

Let us remember this Easter all those who have ssed away from the current Coronavirus pandemic we face, for families and friends who are grieving, and all those putting their lives at risk on the frontline. Let our faith be a sign of hope to others, and together, let us pray for an end to this pandemic.

A year on from the Easter Day attack in Sri Lanka, let us remember all those who died are now martyrs in heaven, and ask them to pray for us during this time. 

Let us pray for all Christians around the world who face persecution for proclaiming their faith, and for all those who struggle to believe in Christ because of the darkness of this world.