It was in mid-March that the Archdiocese of Santa Fe decided to suspend all services because of the coronavirus outbreak. As time passed, it became clear that churches would not be reopening in time for Easter services.

Some people were quite distressed by this. A friend even remarked dejectedly, “Easter is cancelled.” Of course, I was sad not to be able to attend Easter Sunday Mass (less sad to miss the lengthy Palm Sunday service). But in recent years, my connection to God has grown closer each day, and I know that He is with me at all times, whether in a church or in my apartment. This fact has been a great comfort to me during this challenging period when it seems as if everything in the world is upside-down.

With churches closed to services, I had no choice but to spend Easter in a different way. After several weeks of being confined mostly to my home, I was eager to get out. An Easter Sunday hike seemed an excellent idea.

Although there are plenty of hiking and walking trails around Albuquerque, some of them had become rather congested lately. Recently, the mayor of Albuquerque issued a statement urging people to forgo the crowded trails and recommending some less-commonly used ones. Looking over the mayor’s suggestions, I pulled out my Alltrails app and chose a trail that appealed to me. It happened to be one I hadn’t visited before.

I decided to make an early start, arriving at the trailhead at about 8:00AM, the time I am usually getting out of bed on a Sunday! There were a few cars parked at the trailhead but as I had suspected, the area was mostly deserted. I exchanged a brief “Good morning” and a wave from a safe distance with a couple walking their dog near the start of the trail. After that, I had the entire space to myself.

Although it is very beautiful, the Albuquerque area terrain can at times appear rather desolate, with only sparse vegetation. Spring has been late in arriving this year, and the few deciduous trees were only beginning to bud. Setting out on the trail, I had little idea what surprises would be awaiting me today.

The trail was extremely steep in places, and I found myself wishing I had brought hiking poles. I carefully sought my footing on a trail that was at times rocky, at times sandy. More than once, I had to stop to catch my breath. Perhaps as a result of having been cooped up for several weeks, I found myself noticing many tiny details that I might have previously overlooked. Some Cholla cacti looked like crosses to me. I marveled at other cacti with spines so white that they looked as if they were dusted in snow. As I rounded each bend, I saw something new: a burst of orange here, a splash of bright yellow there. Some of the flowering plants had sprung up right in the middle of the trail. I felt as if the Creator were saying to me, “Look! Here is something beautiful. In the midst of all of this desolation, I can and will still create beauty.” And while I don’t claim to understand what is happening with this COVID-19 situation, I do know there is more to it than meets the eye.

My hike today was more than just a physical workout. I believe that the Creator is asking us to look around and see what we can appreciate as we face terrible heartbreak and loss in this time.

What “flowers in the desert” have you been able to discover for yourself during these unprecedented times?