This week for the Western Church is Holy Week, the week where we commemorate the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus. You are likely reading this on what many call Maundy Thursday or possibly Good Friday, solemn days where the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ are remembered. While these days may seem dreary, they lead up to the hope we celebrate on Easter Sunday. The beauty of Holy Week is that it mirrors our lives, our struggles, and our hopes, and serves as an annual reminder that God is always with us no matter what we are experiencing in life.

One of my good friends and colleagues once told me that while they truly enjoy the Holy Week experience, she does not like Easter all that much. She admitted that it sounds odd that a pastor would not enjoy Easter, but she could not shake that feeling. Throughout Lent and Holy Week she was allowed to sit with her feelings, and then Easter would arrive and everyone around her was telling her that she needed to be happy and celebrate. Dr. Shelly Rambo writes about a similar experience in her book Spirit and Trauma where she writes about how our society wants to jump straight from Good Friday and the crucifixion to Easter and the resurrection without ever dwelling in the transitional space of Saturday. Many people find themselves in a similar spiritual space where they have experienced trauma and are still feeling the pain of that trauma and have not entered into the space of celebration Easter offers. For my colleague, just like Shelly Rambo, the promise of Easter offers them hope to persevere, but one that may still feel far off. For those of you who are struggling spiritually, emotionally, or mentally this time of year, may the promise of Easter give you hope to persevere and serve as a reminder that God is with you now and forever.