THE Easter period is when we celebrate Jesus Christ rising from the dead.
Jesus, who was blameless and without sin, laid down His life to save the human race from eternal condemnation or death because of our own sin.
It is referred to as the perfect sacrifice made once for all upon the cross by Christ and emphasised the love that God has for His people. He was willing to let His only Son to give His life so that we might be saved.
The Bible in Mathew 28, describes how Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after He was laid in a tomb after being crucified.
His resurrection was the completion of the process to forgive us all of our sins and saving us from eternal death. This promise of eternal life is for all those who believe in Christ as their saviour.
God in his infinite mercy has promised that there is no sin too great that He cannot forgive and because of Easter, we can now live the promise, only if we are willing.
We only need to look to God to understand what forgiveness and love mean.
Being willing to sacrifice your most treasured possession to save someone, who has wronged you in the past, is the ultimate show of love and forgiveness.
We as a nation should take lessons from Easter and begin to walk in the same spirit of forgiveness and love.
Our political leaders should lead from the front and show their party membership, especially the lower ranks that are more often manipulated into violent acts against those they feel are at variance with their philosophies.
Political intolerance has the potential to hand initiative to troublemakers to fuel anarchy and distabilise the peace and unity that has existed for almost five decades.
As St Ignatius Catholic Church assistant parish priest Charles Chilinda said recently, there was too much violence, mistrust and division in Zambia today, hence the need for love and reconciliation.
Father Chilinda noted that most people did not expect that President Michael Sata could share a seat with former Republican president Rupiah Banda and that such gestures should continue to ensure Zambia remained a beacon of love.
His fellow assistant priest John Mwewa said Zambians should use Easter as a time of homecoming and forgiving one another.
It is heartening that the Head of State has led the way in interpreting the spirit of Easter and embracing everyone, including other political leaders who turned out to commemorate Easter.
They say leaders lead from the front and as such, it is left for the rest of us to follow.
Jesus showed us that there is no betrayal too great that it cannot be forgiven, having done so himself to Peter after the disciple denied knowing him on three separate occasions, as he was led to the crucifixion.
The Bible in Luke 22: 33, Peter vows to Jesus that he is ready to go to prison or death with him but at the first indication of trouble, the brethren swore he had never laid eyes on the Son of God until that moment.
Jesus still came back from the dead and commissioned Peter to lead the Christians and preach His word for the salvation of mankind.
It takes such sacrifices of biblical proportions to remind us that all that we differ over with our fellow brothers and sisters are but Pminor issues that can be forgiven and forgotten.
May Easter once again bring back the spirit of reconciliation in the country and may Zambians unite under the ageless One Zambia-One Nation motto.