Finding What Is Most Important
*Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his mercy endures forever.
2Let Israel now proclaim,
“His mercy endures forever.”
14The LORD is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
15There is a sound of exultation and victory
in the tents of the righteous:
16“The right hand of the LORD has triumphed!
The right hand of the LORD is exalted! The right hand of the LORD has triumphed!”
17I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
18The LORD has punished me sorely,
but he did not hand me over to death.
19Open for me the gates of righteousness;
I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the LORD.
20“This is the gate of the LORD;
he who is righteous may enter.”
21I will give thanks to you, for you answered me
and have become my salvation.
22The same stone which the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
23This is ‘the LORD’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24On this day the LORD has acted;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.
I have had several discussions lately about how sad Easter will be this year since we cannot gather as family. Both as church family and our own family. Yet, if you think about it, this Easter will be, in nature, closer to that first Easter 2000 years ago than any other Easter that we have celebrated in the past. Yes Jesus was raised from the dead, but the Romans still ruled Jerusalem and the disciples stayed locked in their room for fear of the authorities. Authorities that could put them to death. Yes, their fear is the same as ours. The fear that by leaving our homes we could die. We are either like Thomas only venturing out to get those necessary things. Or, like the other disciples, sending someone else to get them. We celebrate this year as the disciples did. We know that Jesus is risen but we still wonder and worry about what our lives will be about in the coming days. So, we wait. Although for them it was a 50 day wait – for us it may be longer. This Easter we celebrate as the disciples did, in our homes waiting for Jesus to come among us hoping for a change in the world.
Another line of conversation that I have had these past many weeks is that many are telling me they are seeing what truly is important in their lives. They are finding out that many of the things they thought were important have turned out to be incidental to their lives. That, while their family might be driving them nuts, they are enjoying the extra time they have been able to spend with them. The disciples also learned that. They found something that was more powerful, more exciting, more important than their fear of death. They found that they were on a first-name basis with God. God called them – by name – out of their fear and worry and gave them new life. Just as Jesus called Mary at the entrance to the tomb, Jesus is calling you to stop the worrying, stop clinging to some old hopes and ideals and be embraced by Jesus himself. That embrace that wipes away all tears, worries, and fears and calls you to live a new life in the midst of a world turned upside down.
Just because we are stuck at home does not mean we cannot celebrate this great feast. Nor does it mean that God is not calling us to his vineyard. There are plenty of tasks at hand. First we pray fervently for those who risk their lives daily for others, those who are sickened by this pandemic, for those who have died, and for those who have lost loved ones. We pray for government leaders and those who risk their lives serving us – emergency workers, and those who work providing life essentials, in grocery stores, on public transportation, and pharmacies. We also connect with others checking on each other, by telephone or computer talking with the lonely, giving comfort to the sad, and uplifting the down trodden. Yes, we celebrate Easter differently this year. Use this time to get closer to those you love and those God has called you to love. Celebrate this new life God has given you in Christ Jesus.