Easter Reflections

This year, I am finding a new meaning in Easter. Growing up, I had been taught stories in the form of substitutionary atonement. Jesus died, so that we may be forgiven. I would listen to the crucifixion story with guilt and shame over my sinful nature and rejoice that I believed in a God wonderful enough to sacrifice the Son of God, so that I may enter into eternal life. There were no personal connections for me, besides sadness for what Christ had to endure in his last days and thankfulness for a mighty God. I don’t think the story ever truly connected for me because it didn’t make sense that a loving God would need blood to extend forgiveness. That disconnection also didn’t seem like something you could really question as a professing Christian. It seemed like a major bullet point on the list of things you needed to believe, in order to fall within the Christian faith.

This past year, I was first introduced to the idea that maybe God didn’t actually need spilt blood to appease the wrathful nature of God. This new (for me) idea proclaimed that Jesus was the full manifestation of God’s love for us. Jesus lived his life in love and taught us all how to live in love for one another. The people of the world chose to deny that love and new way of living, which culminated with the crucifixion. The cross is a symbol that we use to remember how far Jesus went to show God’s love to the world. Fortunately that’s not the end of the story. God triumphs and raises Jesus from the dead. God’s perfect love can overpower anything evil or broken amongst us.  

This new way of thinking has allowed me to connect with the Easter story on a more personal level. Instead of just becoming a time for remembering the death of Christ and power of God, it also becomes a call to live as Christ lived. Christ devoted his entire life to proclaiming God’s love. Isn’t that what we are all charged with? This is something that I have really been trying to do with my life: to act fully within Missio Dei, God’s Mission. I fall short all the time, but it remains the forefront goal in my life. That is really a scary goal to have and it is what led me to serving in South Africa.

This year, I am connecting with the Easter story where I am: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I have realized that many people, myself included, have been hurt by a broken world, just as Christ was also hurt by the world. While trying to serve God and proclaim love, I have seen unjust systems, discrimination, and exploitation at play. This Easter, I’m hearing the good news with a different mindset. Just as God raised Jesus from the dead, God can raise up and heal each of our wounded spirits. With God, there is true healing for all who search.  Usually at Easter time, I focus on what part of me needs to die with Christ, so that I may be made new. This year, because of where I am, I need to focus on a different aspect of the story. I need to know that the world is broken and people from the world make bad decisions, but just as God did for Jesus, God will be with us and love will triumph in the end. I pray that the grace and presence of God surrounds us all this Easter season. May we rejoice in knowing that Christ is risen! Shalom.