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By Pastor Jeff Fox-Kline
I’m ready for Easter. I’m ready for the lilies, the parking lot worship, the Alleluias, the brass, the joy, the life, the hope, the empty tomb, the resurrection, the witness of the women, the turning of the page to a chapter in our history that is life eternal.
I’m. So. Ready.
So let’s get on with it. Let’s celebrate! Let’s party! Let’s eat ham!
Oh? What’s that you say? It’s only Tuesday?
Are you telling me that I have to wait until Sunday to do all of these things I’m looking forward to?
I’m ready for Coronavirus to end. I’m ready for the restaurants, the grocery stores, the hugs, the handshakes, the singing together, the family reunions, the vacations, the tourist traps, the turning of the page to a chapter in our history that is life as I want to live it.
I’m. So. Ready.
So let’s get on with it. Let’s celebrate! Let’s party! Let’s eat ham! (I happen to rather like ham)
Oh? What’s that you say? Cases are still rising?
Are you telling me that I have to wait until herd immunity to do all of these things I’m looking forward to? And even then, things will still look different?
Holy Week is an exercise in patience, one that we would do well to learn from. We are at a potential flashpoint right now. Case counts are rising nationwide, and so is the rate of vaccinations. We’re close to the finish line and we’re letting our foot off the gas. Because we’re tired, and things are hard. Lord knows I’m exhausted. I’m ready to be out there doing those things that I want to do. I want to be back in action.
We can change some of our behaviors – I tear up when I think of vaccinated grandparents seeing their grandkids for the first time in over a year. When I think of adult children seeing their elderly parents and not worrying that they may be the cause of death. We can let up, but that doesn’t mean we can abandon our senses entirely.
Similarly, I’ve been cheating a little this Lent. Notice I said Alleluia in the first paragraph? I’m not being so strict about that. All of the chocolate and jelly beans are gone from the Easter box that we got from the church. I’ve been softer on myself this Lent, because I know we’ve been experiencing some form of Lent since March of 2020.
So go easy on yourself. Let yourself feel the sunshine, but remember that we’re not out of the woods yet.
Wear your mask, wash your hands, remember that Easter is around the corner, but there’s still some waiting to do before we get there.
Peace,
Jeff Fox-Kline