Easter during COVID-19
What if Easter had a voice and could speak?
What would it say to you now?
2020 was the first Easter like this for everyone:
- The kids are on school holiday, yet families can’t really go on vacation.
- For those living in winter climates, it may be warming up yet we can’t go out to take full advantage of the warmer weather and the fresh wind whistling through the trees.
- Families across the globe are in lock-down, isolation, quarantine. For some, Easter will forever bear the mark of grief as they mourn the loss of a friend or relative.
- The medical teams are working their socks off to stay healthy, keep people alive and find new strength to tell each family that their loved one didn’t make it.
And it’s all because of COVID-19!
COVID-19 has no respect for the time or season. Neither does Easter.
But what if Easter had a voice?
Here’s a glimpse into the conversation between Easter and a couple, Peter and Jane.
Easter: Hi, I’m Easter.
Peter: Hi, we’re Peter and Jane. Nice to meet you.
Easter: Nice to get to chat with you. I’ve seen you around. I know you are busy so…
Peter and Jane: Hey Easter… where have you been? We’re in lock-down… what do you mean busy? Don’t you get lockdown, busy is not the word to describe it. It’s more like house prison, and being robbed of our freedom to go about as we usually do. And beside it’s the long weekend, and we have our traditions with friends to hang out and do stuff. Now it’s all messed up.
Easter: Yeah that’s why I said you’re busy.
Peter and Jane: Well, we’re not busy, we’re here at home all the time…
Easter: Oh. It feels like you’re busy to me. I guess I mis-read the signals.
Peter and Jane: What signals?
Easter: Well, I see that you’re either on the phone, or in the kitchen or on the computer, or on the iPad or…
Peter and Jane: What planet are you from! You must be from the dark ages. I don’t even know how I’m having this conversation with you. Listen. We have to work from home now. And if we had kids it would be umpteenth times worse, cause from what we hear you need a new dimension of patience to organize around their needs.
Easter: Yes I understand. So that’s why I say you’re busy.
Peter and Jane: Yeah but it’s normal. What do you want anyway?
Easter: Well I was wondering if you had time to sit for a few minutes to have wine.
Peter and Jane: Wine!! Well why didn’t you say. But OF COURSE. We definitely have time for wine. But we’re out. I guess you have a bottle somewhere?
Easter: I have an endless supply!
Peter and Jane: Wooooah. Hold on. Who are you anyway? Where do you get that wine from? Show it to me.
Easter: Well if you would come with me.
Peter and Jane: Don’t you get lock down… we can’t go anywhere. Don’t you get it?
Easter: OK. I don’t think you guys get it. You’re slow.
Peter and Jane: Woooah, woooah. Careful now. We’re busy and important people, and I won’t tell you who we are and what jobs we do. You would change your speech.
Easter: Sounds like you’re offended. OK. Go get the glasses. Bring a plate too, I have bread. I’ll be back.
Peter and Jane: Bread? Wine and bread? Are you pulling a fast one on us?
Peter (to Jane): OK what’s the worse thing that can happen? He either has no wine, or he has bad wine. Let’s just go with the flow. What do we have to lose?
Jane: Yeah, but you do remember we have some extra wine. Should we bring it out? We said we didn’t have any wine.
Peter: No its fine. Just go with the flow. Besides, that’s the finest wine we have. It is reserved for special occasions. This is just some weird thing going on. We can have a good laugh at ourselves at the end, take a couple selfies and post on twitter. As if social media didn’t have enough videos going around.
Jane: Yeah, frankly I’m getting tired of them. I hardly read all these messages on WhatsApp anymore. My head is spinning. I feel like a digital roller coaster.
Peter: Okay c’mon, let’s get the table set. I’m starting to have fun with this Easter character. [some shuffling noises… Easter is coming back, Peter & Jane hurry to get the table set]
.. and before we get too deep into their conversation, here are some Easter songs while you reflect on what Easter would be saying to you over wine and bread.
Easter Playlist
What do you think happened next with Peter and Jane? And imagine a conversation between you and Easter.
Tell us, what would Easter want to talk to you about? Or what would he be telling you over wine and bread. Tell us in the comments below.
Good story to start thinking!
Miriam`s reply reminded me of John Lynch: The Cure:
“What if it was less important that anything ever gets fixed than that nothing has to be hidden?”
The intimacy we can have with God is very unique. It is a wonderful gift, I often reject.
In this world our love is tested again and again because of the truths (= faults, trespasses, reality) of me.
Not so for God “you know my inmost thoughts” (Psalm 139:1).
Easter would want to remind me of the value of stepping away from the hustle and bustle to just be quiet for a while. He would also say that regardless of all that is happening around me and with all the not so good news I have been hearing lately, that although there is a perception of hopelessness, Easter brings hope. Hope that death does not have the last say.
This is such a blessing to hear Karlene. Indeed, because of Easter, there is hope! Thank you for that timely reminder too.
I observe that all my faults and the faults of my family are way more obvious as we spend way more time together than usual. So I’m not sure how Easter would word this exactly, but I think there would be some sort of moment when Easter points out that this is, actually, the point. Despite all those faults that were hidden, not exposed, not brought into the light, Easter still atoned for us and still covers our sin. Then Easter would ask where the chocolate was to celebrate this amazing gift!
LOL I so love it! Thanks for your honesty and yes, that is exactly what Easter would say! That’s the point…Jesus paid it in full. Bring on the chocolate, I’m celebrating right there with you. Thanks sis.
I think Easter would like to tell me that I have still not set aside enough time for the Lord. Yes I am working from home but I need to spend more time with the Lord.
Hey Sharon, you know what helps me. Just as I’ve chosen a spot in my apartment for work, I’ve set a new place in my home to just sit and be still. Sometimes its with my journal, sometimes its just looking out the window with the piano music in the background. And last week I did something that a friend shared with me recently. I chose a story from the bible and imagined myself as one of the characters. Then observed how it made me feel and what God could be telling me in that moment. Have a go and tell me if it helps.
I think Easter would ask me to reflect on my relationship with God and rest on the promises of God despite the uncertainties related to COVID 19.
Hi Diahann, COVID-19 made me realize that I need to become comfortable with uncertainty! And the only thing I can really rely on is what God says – that He is with me and I shouldn’t be afraid. I think Easter would say the same to me… to remind me of this cause it’s so easy to forget. Thanks for sharing.
I think Easter would want to take me aside and remind me of all the reasons I should still have hope.