Hands down, Easter is my favorite holiday. I awakened early with thoughts associated to resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus on the third day following his crucifixion is one of those things shared with us in Scripture.
The Christian world associates Easter with the resurrection of Jesus. For those first followers and family members whose lives seemingly were forever changed by his merciless death on a cross outside Golgotha, the agony and pain associated to that experience was short lived. That's not to say they weren't immediately overwhelmed with a sense of grief and the bitter awareness that their hopes for the future and their hopes in him were not going to come to fruition. The incessant sounds of the words "crucify – crucify" still rolled around in their heads as though they were amid a nightmare that would never end.
Yesterday morning, I shared my thoughts concerning "the-in-between" day of Friday's Crucifixion to the discovery on Sunday morning of Christ's resurrection. Saturday was a day of overwhelming grief, coupled with fear for their own lives. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in the disciple's shoes or those of Mary, the mother of Jesus?
Yesterday as I thought about "the-in-between day, I remembered a telephone call that I received about forty years ago. It was approaching Easter. I don't exactly remember the year, but I remember the telephone call and the subsequent few days that followed as though it was yesterday. Did I dare to hope?
Anytime a telephone conversation begins with the words, "You'd better sit down", the news can either be very good or very bad. The voice on the other end of the line was that of my former sister-in-law.
She called to tell me that in recent weeks, she had been contacted by several friends that previously were their neighbors when Ronnie was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point. Though they had been friends at Cherry Point, North Carolina, she had not heard from them in years. One couple was traveling from the east coast to the west coast and stopped off in Odessa, Texas to simply reach out to say "hello" and renew the connection.
I don't recall the other two or three contacts she told me about, but they had transpired in close succession to the drop-in visit from U.S. Marine Corps friends from long ago. My former sister-in-law processed the information as a ploy on the part of the government to garner information to provide my brother regarding their circumstances.
My interpretation of the events didn't parallel her interpretation, but what if she was right? Could I dare hope her interpretation could be a possibility? I remember the conversation as though it was yesterday.
So how old was I at the time of the telephone call? I'm guessing mid-thirties or slightly older. Some of you are wondering how I could remember so far back. That was over half a lifetime ago.
Ronnie had been listed as MIA for at least a decade. Did I dare hope that he could still be alive? I'll let you be the judge of that. What would you do or feel or hope? Families during loss are vulnerable when it comes to grasping at straws.
Today is Easter Sunday, 2024. The beauty of springtime has transformed the landscape into fresh growth and green blades of grass and leaves. Nature echoes the message of Easter. The bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, white and yellow wildflowers have transformed the dead of winter into a colorful display of life. The gift of Easter, the resurrection of Christ, the gift of his life has paved the way for all who believe.
That hope is more than enough. He is Risen – He is Risen Indeed. Because of that and the December 2023 notification that Ronnie's remains have been identified, I know with certainty he is in the presence of Jesus.
All My Best!
Don
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