Easter Thoughts

If you've been browsing through our (gazillion) Easter photos, you've had a pretty thorough glimpse of our holiday. Lovely. In all ways. Happy children. Family togetherness. Scenic, beautiful springtime.

But there were other highlights. Things I don't have pictures of. Like bouncing my small yellow Spencer egg at the side of our chapel and listening to the story of Tom taking little Jim's lickin' (remember that story?), or seeing Wes and Lucy singing the closing hymn (He Is Risen) together at the end of the meeting. Or like the tears in Lucy's tender, happy eyes as we drove to Bountiful and she listened to me tell (through my own emotion) the account of Christ's appearance to Mary outside the garden tomb.

Emotion, yes.

But the emotion is simply a by-product of bigger things. Faith. Conviction. Assurance.

I mentioned reading a small chunk of the New Testament in preparation for Easter. One passage that I appreciated anew was Christ's healing of the man possessed by a legion of devils. For the first time, I saw the symbolism in the situation.

"And when [Jesus] went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."

A man with no clothes, no house, and no freedom from a demonic dictatorship. Jesus cast the devils out, creating somewhat of an uproar involving pigs and water and dumbfounded spectators. And when the whole city and country came close for a better look, they "found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind."

A few verses later, Jesus instructed the healed man, "Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee."

So the man left the tombs. He went home. And he testified throughout the city of the Savior's mercy.

So must we testify. We who have been similarly saved. We who will someday bid farewell to a world dominated by the Devil, we who will likewise leave the tombs, and return home. Home to our Heavenly Father's house. Covered by the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ's atonement. Clothed. Dressed in "robes of righteousness, with palms in our hands, and crowns of glory upon our heads. [To] reap eternal joy for all our sufferings." (D&C 109:76)

"The future is as bright as your faith." Isn't that what President Monson promised in conference?

And so, at Easter time, we feel hope. And responsibility. Responsibility to testify. Responsibility to repent. I can never read Christ's words from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)," without remembering President Hinckley's plea, May the Savior never have cause to say of us, "Father, forgive them for they do not what they know (First Presidency Christmas Devotional...years ago...didn't look it up, sorry)."

So here is a post-Easter prayer, for greater commitment to Him who suffered and died to clothe our naked spirits and to send us home.