Easter celebrations in the new normal
EASTER is one of the most important and observed holidays on the Christian calendar. However, since last year, the holiday which is characterised by huge gatherings and rituals such as baptism and taking of Holy Communion has been affected by Covid19 induced restrictions. The Sunday Mail’s Gender and Community Editor, FATIMA BULLA-MUSAKWA interviewed Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe president, BISHOP NEVER MUPARUTSA on this holiday and changes spawned by Covid-19 to the operations of the church. Read On.
*** Question: How has Covid-19 impacted on Easter celebrations and other church gatherings?
Answer: The only thing that has been impacted is our gathering to celebrate in bigger groups but not necessarily on the meaning and the reason. Churches are still meeting in smaller numbers, organising multiple services to ensure that everybody has a chance to celebrate Easter holidays.
I think the meaning becomes more impactful on the people because you have more time to sober up, meditate without much noise. See what Easter had become today. It had become commercialised, so much of parties than the sombre meditation kind of reflection on the work that was done on Calvary. I think it has given people more reflective time in a more secluded meditative manner than the noises and everything that goes with your usual commercialised Easter.
Q: What then happens without the usual rituals like taking Holy Communion or baptisms that give fulfilment to a Christian?
A: That’s what I said the celebratory gatherings have been impacted but the meaning has not been impacted. I am trying to runway from this behaviour of Christians that the meaning of a thing is in the noise of the gatherings. You can still do your palms with your family as well as communion. Communion is actually a family thing, we have done communion virtually. It gives fathers, guardians and those heading families to then do the responsibilities of leading their family into Holy Communion, which represents the blood of Jesus.
Which is even more impactful and meaningful if as a father I sit around the table with my family and then my pastor, my bishop can be leading on a virtual platform whether its WhatsApp , Zoom, or Facebook.
I’m trying to run away from the fact that people then go home with this sad downtrodden attitude to say that Easter is not your usual Easter.
However, there are many Easter gatherings going around the country but in smaller groups minding the Covid-19 protocols.
Q: Some Christians have been shaken or backslidden during the pandemic, how does Easter retain meaning in their situations?
A: I understand that people’s lives particularly spiritually, emotionally and mentally have been affected big time because human beings are social beings.
The most important thing is, the Bible says, “Greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world”. In each and every born again believer in God, the beauty about now, the New Testament, the Jesus Holy Ghost dispensation is that God does not dwell in buildings made by man.
God dwells in our hearts so it is now time for people to dig deep. Deep calleth unto deep. Look inside for hope and what’s inside is the Holy Spirit, Jesus himself. The Bible says, “to those who received Him, He gave them the power to become children of God”. It is also important that people then begin to look at life beyond the professionals.
Because the biggest problem today is that pastors have become professionals more than they have become servants. People have to go back to where they are servants of God. Servants of God are supposed to create Disciples of Christ. Disciples of Christ depend more on Christ than those who are sent by God to serve.
That would be my call on all believers in the nation, go deeper inside of you, the Holy Spirit is inside of you, Jesus is within you and have a communion with the Lord Himself. When you have time to commune with the Lord without the disturbance of the crowd you will have a better time.
Even Jesus Himself on the night that He was betrayed, where did it start? He was with His disciples in a very small crowd. Remember Jesus used to command crowds but that very day, the week we are in of passion, he celebrated the Passover with His disciples.
Q: Has this pandemic brought people back to their homes to start building their faith and families again?
A: I say Amen again, the pandemic is not all doom and gloom, It has a lot of positives that it has brought. To a greater extent it has brought us back to the family to reflect and double check on our relationships.
Q: What is your position on taking vaccines?
A: I have been vaccinated as a leader to take a leadership responsibility because there are many conspiracy theories out there.
What the church and God’s people must do is to sift between fiction and facts. There is too much fiction going on out there, we need the wisdom of the spirit of God to be able to differentiate between fiction and facts.
We must also give people facts so that people are able to make informed decisions. Knowledge gap has been the biggest problem. We need to educate people about the vaccines and their efficacy.
Q: What is the future of the church as we try to get back on our feet?
A: The future is bright and beautiful for the church. The Bible is very clear, our future is not determined by pandemics. There are many other pandemics or tragedies the Bible calls it pestilence that have come before, that will come again but our future is not determined by the challenges we come across.
Jesus Christ is the one who determines our future. He holds the whole world in His hand. God is the one in charge. Things will be alright, He will bring things to normalcy again, not necessarily scientists.
God has given us knowledge, wisdom, everything that we need for prosperity and righteousness. As long as God is still on the throne, people do not need to fear. Even if we were to die.
As for believers we are not afraid, Jesus Christ said I have a home for you which there are no sorrows, diseases, so why would we want to preach about Heaven and then fear to go to the Heaven.
The church is alright because the King of Kings is on the throne. People should just go back and hide themselves in the ancient cleft, in the wings of the mighty God, this too will pass.
Q: What message will you give to Christians and those yet to know Christ? A: Jesus is no longer in the tomb, He is risen. If He conquered death, therefore, you can conquer Covid-19. There is nothing to worry about, praise be to God our Saviour is no longer in the tomb.
To the non-believing population you too have hope in Jesus Christ, what you only need to do is believe in Him, call upon Him, Jesus died for unbelievers so that we believe. He died for everybody the only thing is each and every one had to come and get a ticket for eternal life and to say it louder than this, the ticket is for free.
Just like the Covid-19 vaccine has been provided by the Government for free, salvation has been provided for by Jesus Christ. All of us Jesus say, “come unto me those who labour and are heavy laden I will give you salvation for free”.