After journeying through the somber, reflective six weeks of Lent, I was more than ready for the "Alleluias" of Easter morning on March 31st. And I think that this year, what stands out for me as I experience the continuing joy of Eastertide is that on that first Easter morn, the world was indeed turned upside-down. What we thought was impossible became possible: out of death, came life; tears of sadness became tears of joy; fear turned to boldness; despair was replaced by hope; denials became affirmations; the darkness of confusion was replaced by the light of understanding. God's miraculous Love triumphed.
In thinking about this, I realized that the greatest transformations often arise from the bleakest experiences. To look for signs of resurrection in my life, I began to ask myself, "Where am I experiencing darkness, despair, or fear, which could be symptoms of a kind of "death" in my life. Many of you know that my 92-year-old mother has Alzheimer's disease, a form of severe dementia that robs one of language, basic concepts, recognition of friends and family, and the ability to perform even simple tasks. It is sad for me to watch her disease progress, and not be able to do much about it. There is no cure. It will only get worse.
How can I experience the joy of resurrection in this situation? Mom stays at a residence with 5 other elderly seniors. Fortunately, they do not have Alzheimer's. My sister Judy and I decided that we could do something to bring cheer to all of them. So, we gathered some prizes, a bingo game, some treats, and, with ukulele in tow, arranged to meet with them one morning after Easter. While most of the needed help to play the game, we got them engaged in looking for the numbers and trying to win. Mom was the first to "bingo" and got a painted stone. Eileen won a bookmark with the familiar Bay Bridge on it. Dorothy, who has the gift of a beautiful giggle, was thrilled with the pen that had a mirror on one end. And the second Dorothy knew almost all the words to every song we sang together. They all savored the starfish crackers and candy treats just like children at a birthday party.
Would they remember this day? Maybe, maybe not. But at least they had moments of joy and delight, and felt that someone cared about them. And not just they, but my sister and I, also had our hearts warmed and restored by the power of love. And perhaps that in itself is the message of resurrection: God's Love never gives up. And I think I saw my mom have a fleeting smile.