Easter for the Weary

Easter for the Weary

By David E. Crosby, Pastor

First Baptist New Orleans

March 18, 2008

The birds decided that my tiny tomato plants were good food, so they pecked off almost every leaf. I contemplated replanting but decided to give those tattered stems a chance to rejuvenate.

All it took was a few days. Not only are all nine of them still alive, but they are spreading new leaves and branches, looking healthy and determined.

The first dimension of life to demonstrate exciting recovery after Hurricane Katrina was the natural order. Vines with blossoms draped piles of debris. Twisted trees turned skyward, grew ten feet in that first spring, and opened new leaves to the sun.

Easter is a reminder that the cycle of life goes forward undaunted by life’s storms. The pines of southern Mississippi are sprouting right now amidst the rotting wood of tattered forests. The giant oaks of our urban forest that were beaten and broken by Katrina’s fury are filling in the gaps this spring and will soon display their oval canopy.

Almost three years post-Katrina, we humans continue to struggle mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. We are contemplative creatures, often tormented more by the reasons for than the realities of our losses.

We must remind ourselves now, in this see-saw Road Home world, of the lessons we embraced immediately after the great storm. These are the truths that still sustain us going forward.

We learned that we can live without the accumulated piles of possessions. The furniture, automobiles, and houses we lost proved to be replaceable after all. If we are dismayed that our current fortune is not as large as our former, we must remind ourselves of those great mountains of debris. All material goods are at some stage on their way to the landfill.

We learned that adaptation is a key to survival. We transported our children to distant schools and patched together an educational experience that eventually got them into the college of their choice. We lived with relatives and really got to know them. We formed relationships that still nurture our families and our souls. If life post-Katrina continues to require adaptation, so be it. Change is an evidence of life—and the spice of life.

We learned that we are stronger than we thought. We flexed new muscles in our bodies, hearts, and brains. We operated on faith, hope, and love. We worked evenings and weekends restoring what was lost and broken, helping our children and our neighbors. And in the end, our Herculean efforts were rewarded. The house is nicer, the furniture is new, the threads on our backs are finally in style, and our neighborhoods are humming with activity.

We look back amazed that we made it through the last 32 months. We look forward and wonder if we can make the next 32.

That is where Easter comes in. Easter is an annual celebration because we need it every year. It comes in spring because our faith needs the evidence of nature’s incredible resilience. We spy tiny green shoots creeping through the cracked concrete and baby ducklings paddling on the industrial canals. And we know this planet is designed for rebirth and renewal.

Three days after his burial, the tomb of Jesus was empty. The executioners were scrambling for explanations and Jesus’ grieving friends were astonished and confused. What day is this? It is Sunday, the first day of the week.

Every week now we believers worship on Sunday. Every Sunday is Resurrection Day. The tomb could not hold our Lord, and the tomb cannot hold us. Life triumphs over death, joy comes in the morning, and hope overflows like an artesian well.