EASTER SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD, APRIL 5, 2026
I am alarmed and surprised that the United States is embroiled in another war in the Middle East. We attacked Iraq on March 29, 2003 and we were at war until 2011, 8 years. It is estimated that 150,000 people died in that war. The United States went to war in Afghanistan in 2001 and that war ended in 2021. Over 90,000 people died in that war, including almost 4000 Americans.
What did we achieve in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Now we are at war with Iran. The United States and Israel are bombing Iran, while Israel is also bombing Lebanon, all on the heels of a destructive and deadly war in Gaza, precipitated by a savage attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023.
Lots of people dead. Lots of homes, schools, churches, mosques and hospitals destroyed. For what? War is not the way to peace and too often wars end with no clear achievement, with the world no better off than before the war started. Because of war, young people grow up with emotional and moral stunted development, bitter and angry and ready for a revenge war.
Was is always a loss for humanity. People who die in war, soldiers and civilians, are mostly innocent victims of choices made by powerful people. When the war makers finally leave, the poor people crawl out of their hiding places, begin to clear the rubble and try to rebuild what was destroyed.
We celebrate Easter this weekend. Sometimes I wonder why God loves us, with all of our savagery and destructive actions. But God does love us. Even though we humans sin, God does not give up on us.
Jesus came because God's final word for humanity is love. Even in the midst of war and suffering, there are people who love and forgive. I am dismayed by evil. But God believes in the possibility of love overcoming evil, of love overcoming death. I have also seen heroic love. I believe that Jesus is alive, though he died a brutal death.
Death was defeated; love won. This Easter, let's pray for peace. Let's ask God to change us. Easter means that hate does not win, that death is not the final verdict on humankind.
