The Real Meaning Of Easter Is Being Done By Medical Personnel

PGI General Secretary Pastor Jacky Manuputty (Doc BNPB)

JAKARTA - This year's Easter celebration is truly different. No more Easter celebrations in churches. However, for the medics who could not pray at all, they were actually practicing the full meaning of Easter.

General Secretary of the Indonesian Church Association (PGI), Pastor Jacky Manuputty, gave high appreciation to all medical personnel who are still struggling to serve COVID-19 patients. Especially for those who cannot celebrate Easter with their families because they have to be prepared in isolation wards.

"Believe me, brothers and sisters are fully living the meaning of Easter," said Rev. Jacky in his statement at the Media Center for the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, Graha Building of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Jakarta, Sunday, April 12.

PGI also appealed to empty churches to be used for isolation and quarantine locations in handling COVID-19. However, it all depends on the government's decision. If this is feasible and necessary, the church must be ready to tackle COVID-19.

"Even if you have to suffer for defending your life, this is the time to call your suffering to be lived with faith that is always directed at Christ who suffered from death and was resurrected," said Jacky.

The history of the churches in dealing with the plague has been recorded long ago. The history of Christianity records its beginnings as marked by the willingness of the church to devote itself full time to the loving service of the brothers and sisters of Christ.

PGI invites all Christians to take solidarity actions through creative efforts amid the outbreak of COVID-19 during the 2020 Easter celebration. Jacky added that this spirit is in line with the Easter theme this year, "The Resurrection of Christ Brings New Hope" formulated from the Bible, Lukas article 24 verses 5 and 6.

"This theme is formulated in the Bible which reads" Why do you seek Him who lives among the dead. He is not here. He has risen. Remember what was said to you when you were in Galilee, "said Jacky.

Based on the formulation of the gospel, people are asked to understand about how we can celebrate life, even in all its abundance, while on the other hand there are so many people struggling on the threshold of life and death due to the COVID-19 pandemic.