It was an honest Friday, marking the day Christians around the world commemorate the crucifixion of the prophet. The non-secular observance takes place throughout the week before Easter Sunday. However, the streets were deserted. Where was everyone? Wherever had all of them gone? Oh my God, I cannot believe what happened to all! Is it a joke?
Of Couse not! It is the mass imprisonment, it’s COVID-19. The very dangerous, killer virus. The pandemic has killed 103,847, consistent with Worldometer’s COVID-19 information.
No dressed-up folks around, no one rushed to the church, because the virus was there throughout Easter. The stores were void of “Easter sale” ads that were geared toward luring customers.
Passover – the individual vacation of a movable feast, the feast of the resurrection of Christ – didn’t even rise above the horizon this year, as there was no public feast. The preaching of the day was replaced by silence, while folks remained home.
On TV and live streaming on social media platforms were the key to the church services.
“This Easter is completely different because, in my church’s apostolic religion, Easter Sunday is sometimes reserved for the hymns and special hymns of the resurrection of Christ, that assist to boost my spirit. In fact, the church has been using virtual technology to celebrate services each Sunday within the last 3 weeks of imprisonment. I believe it’ll be Easter Sunday tomorrow too. But I miss church,” said Andrew.
“Before the pandemic, our Easter celebrations were sometimes marked by visits from family and idols. However, from this state of affairs, I believe there’ll be no such visits this year. Everybody might get to celebrate alone in their houses; maintain social distance and forestall the unfolding of the future,” said Sundri Gunraj.”
On social networks, folks spoke of the irony on this Christian holy day. At one time, once folks would like hugs, visits to the sick, and to fulfill and liaise for every different reason. COVID-19 has however stopped everything and altered the meaning of Easter.
If things had stayed like every other year, folks would have traveled to hitch up with their relatives in celebrating Easter. Food and drink orders would have arrived. Rice, chicken and turkey meat, fish, drinks, long queues outside stores, long lines…
Many people accused the government and health officials of implementing restraining orders to control the spread of the virus, separating families who had planned to celebrate the holiday together. But the fact is that this is not a government or health official, but the killer virus COVID -19, and citizens must understand that this is for our safety, said Paramjit.
Religion marks unprecedented times. Never in recent history have Christians stayed at home or attended Holy Communion on a day whose existence is associated with feasting and meeting. “It’s a spiritual attack. The church happens when people gather, and some people think something is wrong if they don’t receive the sacrament. We have to stay safe and stop accumulating, but it’s difficult,” says Isaac Jasso, now planning his Easter sermons online via WhatsApp, Facebook, or Twitter.
“Easter may be a time of hope, the celebration of affection over death, and light over darkness. After we square measures lined by the dark clouds of the corona, we have a tendency to encourage folks to celebrate family love and provide one another with smiles and services,” Sundri Gunraj added. Folks ought to do some self-reflection and still advance on the premise of creating a special relationship with God.
“People are used to worshipping in a group without re-evaluating their personal relationship with God. Now they are being tested, and they need to find God on a personal level,” says Andrew.
Even as they hold close technology, Jasso notes that coronavirus has woke up the truth that even science and also the economy that has invariably offered comfort to plenty will crumble.
“The country that has always relied on science, the army, and a strong economy to unite them is feeling adrift. Let us use this Easter to go back to God. Easter is a time of salvation. Let us ask God to save us from this killer virus, COVID -19,” says Jasso.
