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Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the foundation of the Christian faith. It confirms the Christian belief that God was in Christ, because at Easter we see the power of God bringing Jesus back to life. It affirms the Christian faith that Jesus, who died on the cross, rose from the dead and lives forever.
Easter, however, is not just a reminder of what happened 20 centuries ago, but a celebration that in every present instant there is a triumphant victory available. Since death cannot eradicate and erase spiritual values and since God has the last word, there is hope for all who are on God’s side. And because God can be trusted in both life and death, there is hope for those who are fighting tough battles and carrying heavy burdens.
The past year has been a difficult period for the world’s population due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also been a very difficult time for the Armenian people in general, and for the people of Armenia and Artsakh in particular. The tragic events of recent months have turned their lives upside down. The loss of thousands of Armenians during the 44-day war that Azerbaijan, Turkey and their hired terrorists fought against Artsakh and Armenia has been a great disaster. The loss of a large part of Artsakh to Azerbaijan was another calamity. The lingering political crisis and turmoil in Armenia, in addition to the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic, have created a gloomy mood among many Armenians.
In view of all this, people may ask, “How do we find a rhyme and a reason in all this?” “How do we celebrate Easter?” Yes, we must and must celebrate Passover, because Almighty God is still on His throne. He is our loving Heavenly Father and Christ our victorious Savior, who tells us that He is with us in all circumstances of life. He is with us when our plans are interrupted and our dreams are broken. He is with us when we suffer loss, and even when we lose loved ones and begin to wonder, where do we go from here?
We walk many paths in life, some full of joy and others full of pain and disappointment. Easter tells us that we can travel the paths of life in the company of the loving Christ, who told his followers: “I will be with you always, until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20).
Easter faith tells us that we can keep walking confidently when things are tough. We can keep waiting in despair. We can go on living triumphantly amid challenges and we can go on declaring, “Christ is risen! Blessed is the Resurrection of the Lord. Kristos Haryav Ee Merelots; Orhnyal eh Haroutiunen Kristosi! “
The Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian is the Executive Director of the World Evangelical Armenian Council.
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