Hit the Easter Ground Running

I caused somewhat of a stir Sunday in my new hat.

Ridiculously large and entirely fabulous, the floppy collaboration of purple, blue and white cotton strips brought an actual squeal from my pastor mother as she hugged me before Easter service.

I wore it to express the joy of the day, the same joy I shared with three little kids who unabashedly danced with me during our closing hymn.

You know me, I'm usually worshiping in jeans, especially during the Sunday school season. I have very low tolerance for any time spent quibbling about what anyone wears to church.

That leads nowhere good. It's pretty easy to jettison neighborly love when you're obsessing about a fellow parishioner's neckline or necktie (or lack thereof).

But now there is a new low.

Columbus, Ohio police say a woman shot her cousin to death during an argument that started because one woman didn't think the other was dressed properly for Easter dinner.

Nineteen-year-old Danielle Pickens showed up Sunday night at the home of Evelyn Burgess wearing a T-shirt and jean shorts, the Associated Press reported. Detective Steven Eppert said 42-year-old Burgess told officers she thought the outfit was inappropriate and disrespectful.

The women fought. Police say Pickens walked outside to leave and Burgess shot her in the head with a handgun. Pickens died at a hospital early Monday.

Eppert says Burgess told investigators she didn't mean to shoot Pickens. She is scheduled to appear in court today on a murder charge. Court records don't show an attorney for her.

My God.

There was an Easter murder in Toledo too, and probably many other places. I don't know what else transpired between Pickens and Burgess, or what long-standing grudges were between the women. Easter attire certainly can't be the only reason to fire a shot at someone.

But I don't understand any reason to turn such a weapon against a neighbor -- or enemy -- whom we have been commanded to love.

I am deeply saddened that the life of a girl (19 may mean adult but we all know better) has been cut so short. I ache as well for this crazed woman whose legacy will be taking the life of another.

Easter came in flower-strewn and floppy-hatted joy. God decided in humanity's favor and raised the son we executed. Power from sin and death were conquered.

What little time we had to prance about in our finery and dance up and down the safety of our church aisles. We barely awoke from a nap following a feast when our faith was put to the test.

With Jesus' resurrection fresh in our mind, we may be able to profess that God has embraced Pickens in eternity and offers Burgess forgiveness. God can do what God wants, and God will chose love and mercy. We just saw it. We get that.

But what shall we do? How will we act?

Would you show up at Burgess' court hearing to offer her support? Would you raise funds for an attorney? Would you visit her in prison to pray with her? Would you bring what joy you could to the life of one who has stolen it away from another?

Sigh. Easter can really suck.

But I can't tell you anything different. I can't gild this lily for you, no matter in whose memory you spent eight bucks for it to be placed on your congregation's altar.

I can tell you only that you have been called to profess a God who in earth-shattering and heaven-splitting fashion cried out: "Death will not have the last word! I WILL!"

God's love was the last word over Pickens and it shall be the last word over Burgess.

But it also is the continual and sustaining word over us, we Christians who give witness to this love. We bear it to the world for Christ's sake. It is our job to point to it and proclaim it to people AS THEY LIVE.

To the innocent and to the guilty.

To the peaceful and to the violent.

To the righteous and to the wicked.

To the neighbor and to the enemy.

Jesus lives. God reigns. We are sent forth.

Blessed Easter to you.

Comments

[Mark]

Why would anyone show up for her except the nosy, friends and some family; she killed her cousin. The murder in Toledo is no different than the first, or any other for that matter. It's all murder and taking another’s life for any reason, other than self defense is wrong. I don’t feel the need to forgive any of them; although I do say a prayer for the victims and those who cared for them. The time for all of us to stand up and except responsibility for our actions is long overdue. Because these and many other murders happened on Easter should not be much of a surprise; it happens all the time and all over the world. We have been killing each other from the beginning of creation and I see no end to it. As far as forgiveness and God is concerned, thankfully that would be out of my hands, it’s not up to me to judge anyone.

[Sara]

I agree that we should not forgive people who murder other people under ridiculous circumstances. Self-defense is one issue, but to kill over something so stupid as what another person is wearing, and a family member at that! What was wrong with that woman. She should spend the rest of her life in jail with the rest of the tainted society that commits acts of violence against other innocent citizens.

[Josh]

I think that it is not our job to forgive those who kill others. As followers of God and Jesus we are blessed that it is not our job to condemn or judge. Those who commit the crime have one to answer to, and that one is not us but god.