The Story of Easter Happens Every Day
04-27-2022
By Stephen Apollo
Last Sunday, the preacher in the church I attended reminded us that the story of Easter is not a one-time story but an on ongoing story. That the key events surrounding the Easter story are still going on today in different shapes and versions. The paradox of the praise of “Hossana in the highest” on Palm Sunday and loud shouts of “crucify him” before Pilate, may represents the hypocrisy in relationships and partnerships, where those you eat and laugh with betray you or as we usually say, stab your back. We have a Swahili proverb that says, kikulacho ki nguoni mwako, which literally means, "That which eats you is within you." This saying means that the people who will bring your downfall are not very far from you.
The betrayal of Jesus by Judas his close associate, may represent the rampart betrayal that we go through every day. All of us are either victims or perpetrators of betrayal or even both. A friend of mine whose name is Rev Edward Buri, once said that we often fall into the temptation of abusing the bilateral trust others have in us. We sometimes use classified information we have on others as ammunition for vengeance and we disclose secrets to display ourselves as informed. Sadly, most of betrayals are done by close and trusted people. In John Talbot and Michael Card’s song titled “Why,” there is a line that says “A stranger has nothing to gain, and only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain.”
The suffering and crucifixion of Jesus, invites us to look at the suffering and crucifixions that happen around us every day through unjust rule, oppression, brutality, hate, exclusion, crime, violence, and war. Finally, the resurrection of Jesus gives us hope in the middle of hypocrisy, betrayal, suffering, and crucifixion in this life. That we are carriers and ambassadors of this hope. We must keep this hope alive. We must protest against enemies of resurrection. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!
Maundy Thursday, Art by Immanuel Karunakaran
Crucifixion, Art by Immanuel Karunakaran
Resurrection, Art by Immanuel Karunakaran
Road to Emmaus, Art by Immanuel Karunakaran
