Sunday we celebrated Easter.  Monday I read these words written by Martin Luther King, Jr. in “A Testament of Hope” describing the struggle the black community of Montgomery endured striving for justice and equality:

We can remember days when unfavorable court decisions came upon us like tidal waves, leaving us treading the waters of despair.  But amid all of this we have kept going with the faith that as we struggle, God struggles with us, and that the arc of the moral universe, although long, is bending toward justice.  We have lived under the agony and darkness of Good Friday with the conviction that one day the heightened glow of Easter would emerge on the horizon.  We have seen truth crucified and goodness buried, but we have kept going with the conviction that truth crushed to earth will rise again.  *

King clearly refers to a God who “struggles with us” and connects with the suffering God we found on Good Friday.  Then he expands the analogy to include the death of truth and goodness.  If this was the end of the story all hope would be lost; death, despair and sin would win.  But, this is not the end of the story.  As we heard on Sunday, the ground was shaken and hearts were stirred.  As King says, it is a long arc, but it is bending toward justice.  Our work for justice and freedom from oppression continues.  We have made progress, but do not let us be satisfied with where we are today.  There is much work yet to do.  With stirred hearts, let us continue in God’s work.

What difference does Easter and the resurrection make?  It’s the difference between injustice and justice.  It’s the difference between hatred and love.  It’s the difference of oppression and freedom.  It’s the difference between violence and peace.  It is the difference between despair and hope; it’s the difference between evil triumphing and love having the final word.  Easter demonstrates that the power of love is stronger than the power of hatred or violence.  Easter gives us the boldness to act on our convictions and put hatred and violence to death, bringing about justice and peace, thereby resurrecting faith, hope and love.

Last year I wrote a blog asking, if pain, suffering, evil and death still exist and Jesus’ death and resurrection didn’t stop those things, then what’s so great about Easter anyway? I answered:

Jesus descended to earth, became fully human, walked among us, and died on the cross BECAUSE of the brokenness and sin. God does not promise we won’t experience the brokenness of this world, but God does promise to be there with us.

Jesus came to shine light into the darkness. God does not promise us that there is NO darkness, but rather that the darkness cannot overcome the light! (John 1:5) In Christ’s resurrection, we’re given the promise that hate is not the last word; love is. Sickness and suffering are not the last word; health and joy are. Violence and oppression are not the last word; peace and justice are.  Death is not the last word; life is. **

That’s the difference Easter makes! So, let us boldly shine light in this world, confident that the darkness cannot overcome the light!  Read John 1:1-18, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie

Today’s Reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1%3A1-18

*King, Jr., Martin Luther. A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by James M. Washington (San Francisco: Harper, 1986), pp.460-461.

** https://joyocala.wordpress.com/2016/04/01/whats-so-great-about-easter-anyway/