Today I was listening to a television interview with the actor John Travolta. He observed that life is filled with massive amounts of evil and suffering. Then he said that he tries hard to find signs of hope and happiness in life and to focus on those. Those words seem to me to be wise.
I find myself feeling saddened when we look at the final of days of Jesus' life, including the betrayals, hostility and violence that he faced. It is appropriate that we include these dark images in our thinking, so that we can be realistic about life. The world in which Jesus lived is one in which we live also. We must not be naive.
This is the backdrop for the miracle of Easter. Even in the struggle and darkness of life God is at work. Our hope is in the new beginning of a resurrection.
Since the recent death of my wife Jean's father, I have been thinking more about the endings of life. The African American spirituals often use for death the image of a river. The river is cold and wide. The prospect of passing through it raises doubts and fears in our spirits. But there is safety and new life on the other side. This is what gives us courage. Easter is a sign and symbol of that great hope.
