As we approach Easter during these peculiar times of pandemic, I have been thinking about resurrection. I am thinking back on the life of Jesus, the Christ, and the glimpses he gave us of what is possible, and what brings us true fulfilment. I am remembering God incarnate as one who was a “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” I am remembering the promise of new life that triumphs over death.

The current pandemic has brought about both literal and figurative deaths. As I search for hope in the promise of resurrection, I do not wish to downplay the grief that we are experiencing. We are never asked to stifle lament. But grief can be instructive.

Death requires a new beginning, a new “normal.” During Jesus’ ministry, he exposed errors, inequities, hypocrisy, and faulty foundations. He embodied a shift in perspective and practice that centred love for God and neighbour. Our fault lines, too, have been exposed and exacerbated by COVID-19. We are seeing the effects of years of neglect and underfunding, of prejudice and the privilege of turning a blind eye. The existing status quo left those seeking safety, shelter, and support all the more vulnerable (along with the rest of society). COVID-19 has shown just how dependent we are on charity to fill the gaps left by injustice.

As always, Christ invites us to a better way.

As we face a kind of death in our economy, our productivity, and our autonomy, we must ask what is worth keeping, and what needs to be transformed. We need to think critically and creatively about what comes next. While this pandemic has laid bare some of our current shortcomings, it has also shown what is possible when the public and political will are there. Why settle for inaction or apathy? Why go back to something that brings about death? Together, we can build systems and relationships of love, respect, and justice that will harbour us safely and allow life to triumph over death. Together, and in Christ, all things are possible!

—Natalie Appleyard
Socio-economic Policy Analyst