What is it with Easter? |
| Why
Easter? What is this all about? What is “Holy Week” anyway?
What’s the big deal? Is there more to this than plastic eggs
with little surprises in them and new clothes? Although I’ve
been a church-goer most of my life, the much of the reasoning for
this spring celebration with the changeable date escaped me most of
that time. |
| The
week starts off with such joy-- |
| We’ve
seen it—Jesus entering the holy city with victory and adulation!
What excitement we feel in this triumph! We sing together with joy
over the hope set before us. Surely with this adulation and victory,
all enemies will be vanquished, and peace and victory soon arrive.
People praise the name of God with great hope. Hearts beat with anticipation
with the expectation that God’s glory will soon be revealed. |
| Surely
this is the time when all oppression lifted forever. |
| And
yet, there is a chill in the air. There is a menace in the shouts
of triumph and victory. What is this undercurrent that casts a shadow
over the joy? God’s Beloved Son is about to be crowned King,
Lord, ruler over all. But . . . what do these voices say? What are
these irate shouts that silence the songs of joy? |
| The
words pour from outraged throats—we hear them, first in whisper,
then growing louder and louder. The words “crucify Him, crucify
Him” penetrate the laughing crowd. The sounds of angry whips
and pounding nails beat as drums underneath the songs of hope. |
| Surely
something is wrong. What is the will of God here? Isn’t it for
victory? Isn’t it to crush all enemies under God’s feet?
How do we stop the blackness coming our way? Why doesn’t God
stop this? The words, “Crucify Him:” grow in power. More
voices join in—even some of the ones who had sung praises just
a few days before. Where is God? Doesn’t God see this happening
to the Son? |
| Things
spin out of control. How can we understand? Will this ever make sense?
|
| Yes,
this week is the time when Christians all over the world seek to remember
the events of that first week as events unfolded and tragedy and blackness
overtook the world. “Crucify Him!” they cried. And on
the blackest of Fridays, all hope appears to die. Yet even then so
see the tiniest glimmer of hope when these words flow forth, “Father,
forgive them, for they know not what they do.” |
| Yes,
why Easter? Because God loves too much to leave us in death. Why Easter?
Because God gives life. But at such a cost. Let us go into this week
of remembrance with grateful and expectant hearts. The Resurrection
is just around the corner. At Krum
United Methodist Church, we will have services at 7:00 p.m. Monday-Friday
evening, April 2-6, to encourage that remembrance and prepare us for
unimaginable joy. All are welcome to join us. |
| See
you in church, |
| Christy |
| The
Rev. Dr. Christy Thomas, Pastor, Krum UMC |
| christy@krumumc.org |
| |
