Today is Easter. The celebration of Easter is always a wonderful day. Today was special. My brother Don sent me a text this morning wanting to come to church with Rebecca and me. We went to the 8am Easter service and it was beautiful. We go to The Village Anglican Church in Greenville SC where Seth Cain is the Pastor. His message this morning was outstanding as usual. One of his quotes was by someone who asked the question “Would Jesus need toilet paper” speaking on the humanness of Christ.

Needless to say that question also took me back many years ago working at Mitsubishi in Greer SC when I thought I was going to have to fight my way out of a room when someone walked in the room and let out a fart. Whoever said ” It’s not the act of farting that’s funny; it’s the reactions that follow” is true. The devout Church of God man (Buck) who took the wrath of the explosion was upset that he was just all but defecated on. It was made worse when I told him he shouldn’t get so worked up. Then the fatal mistake was made and I said, “Jesus farted and he had all the bodily functions as we do.” I went on and named many more bodily functions that as a human he participated in, only my language was somewhat more colorful. I thought old Buck was going to have a heart attack and after he pulled himself off the floor he asked me if I wanted to step outside because he could not deal with my blasphemy. I valued my job and didn’t accept his invitation and apologized. I admit it was juvenile on my part but that was then and this is now.

Easter is not about the hygiene practices of Jesus Christ but it is more about his mercy and grace in the last moments of his life as the thief on the cross can attest too.

Easter infuses hope after hopelessness. Even when we walk through seasons of loss or “dead ends” in life, which is going to happen to us all Easter reminds us that God can bring new beginnings. No matter how devastating our struggles may be, disappointments, and troubles are the Resurrection promises us a future of immeasurable good. Remember on that first Easter morning Mary Magdalene came weeping to Jesus’ tomb in despair, only to encounter the risen Christ and be filled with astonishment and joy. That is Easter.