Easter in Quarantine
Reported by Isaac Gallegos
Illustration by Carla Cieza Espinoza
On April 12, Easter came upon families once again. The difference, of course, was the social-distancing rule set forth by the US government. As students are in Oregon, Washington and beyond, each state’s regulations are different on the subject of social distancing. Nevertheless, Christians around the world were faced with the challenge of celebrating Easter Sunday away from their churches.
I briefly had a chance to ask a few students how they and their families ended up celebrating Easter. Isaac Barnes, Evie Daniels, and Colton Kirk all said that they stayed home and made food with their families. Barnes, however, said that he attended an online church service in place of a normal in-person attendance.
Online church services can work in a few different ways. The easiest method is for the church’s media department to post a pre-recorded video on the church’s YouTube channel, or to imbed a video within their respective website. One of these videos may have been recorded in advance once the pandemic had started to arise, thus allowing an audience to see their pastor preaching on a stage rather than in their house.
Even within our own campus, the course Theology 102 prerecorded intros and outros for their lecturers each day in advance before we were advised to leave campus for the rest of the semester.
Due to the lack of in-person services, families had to take the initiative to celebrate Easter for themselves. Many families watched services, had family devotionals, and individuals prayed and meditated on God’s word.
In this abnormal social distancing, our faith is being tested on the bounds of whether we are committed to honoring Christ’s death and resurrection. A few students have decided to only partake in making food with their families and nothing more.
We celebrate Easter for two main reasons: to remember Christ’s sacrifice for our sins through an innocent death, and his resurrection as fulfillments as described in the Old and New Testament prophecies. It is imperative, as explained in the Bible, that Christians uphold this understanding of God’s work with Christ.
How, then, should Christians have dealt with this social-distancing Easter celebration? That all depends on everyone’s situation. Due to family conflicts concerning faith, or personal accessibility, it makes sense that some would not have been able to attend an online service or lecture regarding Easter. In other cases, students preferred to read the Bible for themselves on their own time.
God is not limited by sickness, diseases, or viruses. No matter how Christians show their love for Christ, our wholehearted love cannot be ignored. Nothing is too powerful for God to handle.
This past Easter celebration in quarantine was a challenge for many, logistically and faithfully. However, when looking on the bright side, this whole experience can be seen as a good experience for faith. It is a test during a time of anxiety and uncertainty. If we can rely on God, it is logical to assume that He will give us guidance on how to appropriately proceed in Him during this trying time.