How the Virus Stole Easter
(With a nod to Dr. Seuss)
Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began
Bringing chaos
and fear to all people, each land.
People were
sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.
As winter gave way to the promise
of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.
People hid in their homes from
the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed,
social-distanced, and cleaned.
April approached and churches
were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the
world supposed.
“There won’t be church services,
and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we
can’t go about.”
Holy Week started, as bleak as
the rest.
The world was focused on masks
and on tests.
“Easter can’t happen this year,”
it proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just
won’t be the same.”
Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the
days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just
would not relent.
The world woke Sunday and nothing
had changed.
The virus still menaced, the
people, estranged.
“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the
world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no
Easter is coming.
“They’re just waking up! We know
just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a
minute or two,
And then all the saints will all
cry boo-hoo.
“That noise,” said the world,
“will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a
hand to its ear.
And it did hear a sound coming
through all the skies.
It started down low, then it
started to rise.
But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!
The world stared around, popping
its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a
shocking surprise!
Every saint in every nation, the
tall and the small,
Was celebrating Jesus in spite of
it all!
It hadn’t stopped Easter from
coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just
the same!
And the world with its life quite
stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”
“It came without bonnets, it came
without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts,
cantatas, or money.”
Then the world thought of
something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought,
“doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a
little bit more.”
And what happened then?
Well....the story’s not done.
What will YOU do?
Will you share with that one
Or two or more people needing
hope in this night?
Will you share the source of your
life in this fight?
The churches are empty - but so
is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death,
doom, and gloom.
So this year at Easter, let this
be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all
around, everywhere.
May the world see hope when it
looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is
not a building or steeple.
May the world find Faith in
Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find Joy in a time
of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of
survival,
But not only that -
Let it start a revival.
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