Easter this year is now two weeks in the past, and at the time I was actually reminded of a Christmas carol: O Holy Night. Part of the second verse, “A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices,” came to mind. It has now been more than two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and I dare say that most people are weary of the situation. Many will be weary with grief, having lost loved ones to the disease. Many will be weary from labour, having faced greatly increased workloads. Many will be weary from fear of what the future may hold, having lost their livelihoods.
What does Easter mean in this context? To some, it will perhaps be a time for optimism, in the same way that Christmas might be seen as a generally positive time even from a non-Christian perspective. A reminder of a ‘second chance,’ maybe. To me, Easter is far more than a time of happy thoughts or idealistic sentiments. On one hand, it is a solemn reminder of the wrath of God against sin, borne through the physical crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ and the spiritual death that He underwent. On the other hand, it is a promise of redemption and eternal life for those Christ calls His own; not a chance, but a certainty.
That realisation that salvation of the soul does not relate to some degree of likelihood, but is a certainty … how to describe it? Having spent a long time in the education system, perhaps I can draw an analogy to leaving the examination hall after the final test of the year. One knows, for certain, that the work is done.