I can see so many signs of love and hope in the world

As we were nearing Easter, I spotted a Facebook post which summed up how I felt “This is the Lentiest Lent I ever Lented”.

Lent is that long period before Easter when Christians give things up as a kind of self-denial preparing us for Holy Week.

Well now we have celebrated Easter I reckon this is the Lentiest Easter I ever Eastered.

Don’t get me wrong – Easter day was fabulous.

As ever, the whole world was covered by cries of “Alleluia, Christ is risen!” even though this year it was all done digitally.

But somehow, continuing in lockdown makes it still feel very much like Lent – full of self-denial and wondering what day it is or how long until the next meal.

And yet… Easter it is.

And if I just look around instead of feeling sorry for myself, I can see so many signs of love and hope in the world.

I see… starry skies and clear water in our local streams; people staying at home to keep as many folk as possible healthy and social distancing when out; appreciation of all key workers keeping us going; more people volunteering than tasks for them to do.

I appreciate what I have – I came home with a cucumber and some bread from my local shop and felt like I had won the lottery!

I need to make sure that I am seeing the world as one of the Easter people – who knows and celebrates God’s miracle of new life in Jesus and lives a life of love and hope.

We don’t know when this time of lockdown will end, hopefully not all the way to Lent next year.

But I hope that through it all I will stay an Easter person – celebrating not just God’s promise fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus but also those signs of hope and love that echo that all around me today.

Happy Easter everyone!