Defiant Hope

‘Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need.’ Romans 12:12-13

Keeping in touch with friends and family ‘virtually’ is certainly different! On Easter Monday a friend sent me a link to the Easter recording of ‘Three Vicars Talking’ via BBC Sounds. It was refreshingly honest, possibly because they, like us, are more conscious than ever this Easter that in the present Lockdown, we all share similar vulnerabilities. This virus and lockdown affects everyone no matter race, creed or status; it’s a great leveller. 

The three vicars - Richard Coles, Kate Bottley and Giles Fraser - couldn’t be more different in character or theology or, indeed, in stage of life. Richard Coles has recently been bereaved. He reflects on Easter as a widower in lockdown, and how his congregation have ministered to him. He also shares poignantly on grief: 

When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
Jesus' touch can call us back to life again,
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been: 
Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.

But the phrase that caught my attention was something said by Giles Fraser: ‘Hope also means defiance’. Hope is not just a some vague feeling which involves faith and the future. ‘Hope also means defiance’, says Fraser: ‘there is a bloodymindedness about hope in the times of this virus which is we will not give in; we will not be defeated; we will celebrate; we will joke.’ 

Hope acknowledges what is: we are in the midst of a pandemic; we can’t gather together and meet up for Easter; we can’t celebrate with our families and friends. We grieve for those people we have lost in death; we grieve for our loss of freedom to choose where we go, what we do and how we live. But, at the same time, we get on with life. We walk the dog, clean the house, decorate our windows, phone our friends, tend our gardens and create meals with extra zest and creativity (and with whatever ingredients we have!). 

Easter-tide holds hope in victory already won, and hope in things to come. We know that this virus will pass. We notice spring and birdsong in a new attentive and appreciative way. We know that we will flourish and life is eternal because of Christ’s life, death and resurrection. 

Defiant hope. Resilient faith. Tenacious love. Faith, hope and love; these things remain - even in lockdown.

Collect 

Risen Christ,
for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred:
open the doors of our hearts,
that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,
to the praise of God the Father.

Rejoicing in God’s new creation,
as our Saviour taught us, so we pray

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Amen.