Message of hope unchanged this Easter weekend

“That it was Jesus, who made it possible for us to yet live in this cruel world,” said Pastor James C. Givens, of Mount Olive AME Church. “It’s our hope and anticipation that one day after we die physically on earth that we will live again.”

It’s hard to ignore death this year.

“It reminds us that life is temporal, that as much as we like to order our lives in a way that sometimes forgets the realities that the mortality rate is still at 100%,” said Jorge Acevedo, pastor at Grace Church in Cape Coral.

On this Good Friday, these pastors can’t ignore the connection between the suffering endured this year and the suffering of Christ.

“We are a nation that is living in the realities of both Good Friday and the death of Jesus,” Acevedo said.

Friday did not go well, said Pastor David Acton of New Hope Church in Cape Coral.

“But Easter is coming,” Acton said. “So, we no longer have to carry that around this incredibly hard year. Whether it’s sickness or loss of job or just broken relationships, or no relationships at all, because we’ve been hunkered down, we can lay all that down at the cross.”

There is hope in the midst of any pandemic, troubles or trials, Givens said.

“And the hope is because of our Savior of the Bible tells us after his death, he arose,” Givens said.

Parishioners at Saint Williams Catholic Church in Naples went to church on Friday to honor the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

“Our dear Lord died for our sins but also to give us hope that there is a life hereafter,” said Maribeth Smith, of Naples.

Parishioners were hopeful even during the pandemic that they would once again be able to commune together at their church.

“I’m just so glad people can get out and go to church now and we’ve been praying for people,” said Peg Murphy, of Naples.

Many people will celebrate Easter from home this year.

But as one woman said, “all that matters is that you pray.”

Submit