We have hope because of Christ's resurrection, and we celebrate that today. Hope that this life is not all that there is. Hope to see loved ones again in heaven some day. Hope that God is good and all-powerful over death. Hope in a new heaven and a new earth, where there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain, where every tear is wiped away.
Hope in Christ is the anchor for our souls. In spite of the sorrow around us, we can always have hope because of the gospel. Hope for new life.
Sakura are blooming in Japan right now, a reminder of spring and life and changing seasons and fleeting moments of beauty. We are reminded that our lives are brief and fleeting, like grass that withers or flowers that fade. It is what endures that gives us purpose. God, grant us the grace to live for what is unseen and eternal.