The purple is gone. White and gold now hold sway. The penitential church season of Lent is over and the rejoicing of Easter has commenced! No more sober faces as we worship. Texts about crosses, sacrificing, and suffering have been succeeded by stories of appearances and surprising disciples behind locked doors, at a fish bar b que, the comforting message of a shepherd called good.
All of this coincides with a time in our country that things may be looking up in terms of vaccinations and some economic rebound. Yet, public health experts are cautioning us to be careful. Doing well and headed in a good direction does not guarantee it will remain so. Keep wearing masks, socially distance, wash your hands, and avoid crowds. Do the things you were doing before the numbers began moving in a favorable direction.
There is a good lesson here for us. Easter is not carte blanche. That is, Easter does not mean sin no longer matters. Easter means we can deal with our sin. Sin does not need to hold us back from doing the things we were called to be doing even prior to Lent.
But sin still matters. Serving, loving, caring, advocating, proclaiming, worshiping, forgiving, repenting, and growing. These are not seasonal for followers of Jesus. These are for all the church year. They are a major part of our discipleship tool kit.
Wear your spring colors, enjoy the warmth and sunshine, live as a “sent forgiver” ….one who has been forgiven. In Lent and Holy Week, you and I did not earn this, Jesus earned it. We are simply those to whom it has been bequeathed. In our joyful Easter living we cannot forget this. The dose of reality that is Lent need not be over us like a cloud. Neither should it be forgotten. Remembering who we are is always a call to remember whose we are. Easter triumph, Easter joy, this alone can sin destroy! From sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free, newborn souls in you to be!