What do we hope for this Easter?

 As we finish celebrating the Easter Vigil we are often left with the question that Peter encounters in the empty tomb. The testimony of the women is not enough to convince him and yet he is left wondering what the future will hold out for him. In the midst of the beauty and the solemnity of the Easter ceremonies, we can often wonder ourselves what the future will hold. As we start to live with COVID, an unfortunate term as I have been forced into isolation as a result of a positive result, we can wonder what salvation looks like for us. Many hold out false hopes that they will have the answer to all our problems. This tendency is not just present in politicians but also in those who advertise a life that is powerful, spectacular, and relevant.

Against this backdrop, we see the unfolding of the latest tragedy for humanity unfolding in Ukraine. One pleading father on television spoke volumes when he said what have we done to them that they wish to bring this suffering on us. This is the cry which looks for a reason but also for justice. The paschal triduum is played out all too vividly as people are crucified for the sins of another. This does not seem to make sense in fact it is non-sense. Yet in the midst of this conflict and in fact, in the midst of every conflict Jesus draws us into a deeper vulnerability and woundedness that allows us to encounter his healing. This paradox is not because he wants us to suffer but so that we may find hope even when we suffer.

I feel that this is the important lesson of Easter that we discover life in unexpected places and people. This is the Easter message that Christ sends us out to be people of both reconciliation and thanksgiving. In a world that so often preaches that might makes right, we discover that we need to breathe in peace and exhale love. We are called to be witnesses to life that emerges out of what appears to be a disaster. To bring light when the world seems to be plunged into darkness. To proclaim eternal life when others preach annihilation. During this Easter let Jesus surprise you with joy.