We will miss celebrating the Resurrection with our church communities this year, but perhaps this will be an opportunity to reflect more deeply on what the season means. With the directive prohibiting gatherings of more than ten people, even outdoors, sunrise services are out.
Or not. Each of us could gather with family members in the backyard, at the east window of the living room, or on the deck, and share scripture readings and prayers, perhaps even music. We can do this in a solitary manner if no one else is available. Without any distractions, we might find that even more meaningful.
Easter morning began sadly for the women who traveled to the tomb. Even after the good news was known they didn’t gather a large group, but passed the information quietly to the people who needed to know. Those days were full of trouble and fear too, and there was reason to be cautious.
We won’t be cooking a huge feast for extended family this year, but we can still prepare a festive meal for the people who live in our homes, or set a pretty table and make a favorite dish, if we live alone.
I suppose the Easter Bunny may appear in homes where there are little ones, and there’s no rule, that I know of, against gathering at the kitchen table to dye eggs. But maybe we will decide it’s unnecessary to spend a lot of money on baskets of candy and plush bunnies, and instead, take time to read the story of the first Easter to the youngsters. Go for a walk as a family, if it’s a nice day. Take note of the hope springing all around us in nature, and realize that the seasons change in a prescribed pattern, and this season of worry will pass, just as the snowdrifts do.
You won’t need to fuss about a fancy outfit to wear to church, or go to a parade when you’d prefer taking a nap. But you can still call family members who live at a distance, or even the ones across town that you aren’t allowed to visit right now.
The women who journeyed to the tomb had a ministry in mind; anointing the body of their Lord. They needed to do something, anything, to alleviate the feeling of powerlessness that they must have been experiencing.
It’s natural for us to feel powerless too, but in reality, each of us can do some small bit of ministry. Some families decorate windows, or yards, to cheer passers-by. A mother and young daughter took on a project of sewing masks. Some people have donated blood, others delivered groceries to a neighbor. Your stay at home students could make an art project to mail to grandparents that they can’t visit right now. Teens might rake lawns for an elderly neighbor. The arrangements can be made by phone, and kids can wave through the window to the shut ins.
How about using part of your Easter meditation time to think creatively about ways to lift the spirits of others, and your own? The best way to combat depression is to do a good turn for someone else.
Easter may be different this year, but it can still be a holy celebration.