Remember... next Easter we hug again

EASTER Sunday is a day of joy and togetherness for families and friends, a time to pray together and to enjoy the laughter that rings out from our homes. For those of all denominations and none, it is a day for Easter bonnets, chocolate eggs and family feasts. For Christians, of course, this day has a particular importance. The Lord’s Resurrection is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar, when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the darkness of the tomb.

For the Christian family, this Easter is unlike any other in living memory. Today, painfully, the church pews are empty, filled only with an eerie silence. Family, friends and communities are still linked by love and prayer, but only at a safe distance.

My parish was the first church in Scotland to be closed when one of our young parishioners was diagnosed with coronavirus. I am delighted to say that the young lad is on the road to a full recovery,

For those who are unfamiliar with the area, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, in the 19th Century was the centre of Scotland’s ironworks and at night the flames from the 50 blast furnaces lit up the smoky sky. It was said they could be seen from as far away as Glasgow.

Perhaps it is a spark from the blast furnaces of old but there is still a flame burning in our community that, in adversity, the spirit of Christianity, compassion and care will light the darkness.

That illuminating spirit could be seen clearly when we launched Coatbridge Stay Connected to reach out to the vulnerable in our community as the coronavirus pandemic swept our country.

Anticipating enormous social upheaval, we initially contacted nearly 3,500 homes to tell them about our project and are now helping more than 1,500 homes on a regular basis.

We offer a hand of friendship and a voice at the end of a telephone for people of all denominations and none.

This virus doesn’t stop to enquire if you are black or white, rich or poor, Catholic or Protestant. For us, it is a time to show the very best in our common humanity.

It is also an opportunity to remember the universal message of our Christian faith.

Jesus’s command that we ‘love our neighbour’ is a broad stroke indeed. It is a command which, when properly understood, excludes no one.

I also see that dedicated spirit each time I visit our local Monklands University Hospital. Alongside other priests, ministers and leaders of other faiths giving pastoral support to the sick and dying throughout this crisis, I see the commitment and hard work of our amazing NHS doctors and nurses who work long, relentless shifts without the prospect of relief.

I also see the amazing contribution of all the other support staff who keep the machine running smoothly. They, too, are the real heroes and we must ensure we shine a light on their vital contribution.

I know staff are finding it heart-wrenching to remain at a distance from dying patients and grieving family members, when every instinct in their body tells them to hug and to console.

FOR my part a listening ear is all I have to offer to these frontline heroes who simply want to share the stories of their lived experience. Theirs is an enormous cross they bear on behalf of a wounded nation and they deserve our continued prayers, gratitude and applause. We are blessed at St Augustine’s that while the pews remain empty this morning, thousands will join in our Easter celebrations via our online stream.

United in prayer, yet physically apart, we will give praise to the Risen Lord. It is a welcome break from the gloominess which has marked these unsettling days.

Next Easter the daffodils will bloom again, the children and their grandparents will embrace again, and the pews of St Augustine’s will be full once more.

With the blast furnaces of love well stoked once again, the spirit of Scotland will triumph. Let’s pray for each other.