As Easter approaches, many people are looking for reasons to celebrate amid what feels like a heavy and uncertain time in the country.

Rising costs, war and threats of war, and violence in communities have left many wondering how to find joy — and how to hold onto faith during crisis.

For some, that uncertainty is drawing them toward church and the Easter message of hope.

“People look for answers and hope when life overwhelms them, or simply becomes unmanageable,” said the Rev. Cliff Eckhart of Blue Mountain Community Church in Palmerton. “This is why I believe we are seeing such success and interest in local ministries such as Celebrate Recovery and Recovery Church, to name a few.”

The Rev. Christopher M. Zelonis, priest at Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, said hardship may initially push people toward faith, but it doesn’t always last.

“National tragedies or personal trials may nudge people to church, but when the sting of them wears off, attendance wanes one soul at a time,” Zelonis said.

Still, local church leaders say the message of Easter offers something deeper than temporary comfort. They point to the resurrection of Jesus as a reminder that hope can exist even in the darkest moments.

“Because He loves us!” Eckhart said. “God answered definitively the question of, ‘Do I have value, despite the wrong things I have done?’ by sending His son to live, die and rise again for each and every person on the earth.”

Zelonis said Easter is a reminder that Christ’s victory over death remains a source of hope, even when suffering continues.

“Christ’s resurrection is the definitive victory over sin, suffering and death. Even as these unwelcome realities persist in our lives, we have secure hope in His victory, which blossom in the communal and personal prayer, the just and merciful living that He daily inspires in us,” Zelonis said.

The Rev. Josh Nemeth of St. Peter’s Church in West Penn said Easter does not deny pain.

“I am reminded every Easter that the resurrection does not ignore the reality of our pain,” he said. “Instead, the resurrection speaks directly into it.”

Nemeth said the first Easter came at a time of fear and sorrow, not peace.

“It happened in a world marked by fear, uncertainty and deepest grief,” he said. “The women did not first come to the tomb expecting to find it empty. They came with spices, tears in their eyes, ready to properly bury the body of Jesus.”

He said the resurrection was a turning point that brought hope where it seemed impossible.

“That stone was rolled away, that tomb was empty,” Nemeth said. “Our God demonstrated His love and hope even in the face of that pain an uncertainty.”

Nemeth said the message remains the same today.

“It is not that everything is perfect, but that Christ Jesus meets us exactly where we are, leading us forward with a hope stronger than the darkness around us,” he said.

His Easter prayer, he said, is that people feel God’s presence regardless of their circumstances.

“Whether this season finds you celebrating, grieving, searching, or simply trying to get through each day, may you know the hope of the risen Christ,” Nemeth said. “He is with you. He is for you. And because He lives, there is always a reason to hope.”

That message has also resonated with young people. In the days leading up to Easter, students at Marian Catholic School in Hometown shared Gospel reflections on social media.

Sophomore Lexi Gelatko reflected on Jesus’ suffering on the cross.

“But he chose love and forgiveness, even in pain,” Gelatko said. “It shows that Jesus did everything for us and stayed strong in doing God’s will.”

For teenagers, she said, it is a reminder to live with courage and compassion.

“Jesus’ sacrifice shows just how powerful love really is,” Gelatko said.