I take an unexpected and ironic sense of comfort that the new low of this Presidential campaign, Trump’s apparent use of his National Enquirer lackeys to smear Ted Cruz, occurred just at the beginning of the Easter weekend.

It is beyond doubt that this election season is one for the record books. Not only is there a record amount of discontent among voters with the direction of the country, but it appears it is matched by perhaps a record amount of discontent with the available options. Each candidate appeals to a relatively narrow portion of the electorate: Sanders is simply far too radical for most Americans (and the fact that he attracts as many as he does is disturbing); Clinton has a lawsuit looming over her head, and a long history of lies, scheming and general unpleasantness, making her a (likely) nominee with some of the highest unfavorability ratings in modern times (and the fact that she attracts as many as she does is disturbing); Trump behaves viciously at every turn and is no conservative (and the fact that he attracts as many as he does is disturbing); and Cruz, while arguably the most conservative, has spent the last few years engaging in a form of show-biz politics that has only heightened the tension in this country, while promising the moon and delivering precious little (and the fact that those tactics attract as many as they do is disturbing).

And to top it all off, we’ve not only had open talk about the size of some of the candidates’ genitals, but now we have a blatantly obvious attempt at smearing Cruz through an outlet as disreputable as the National Enquirer at the behest (so it appears) of another candidate, Donald Trump, who, it should be noted, has been tweeting obscenities unworthy of the office he seeks, including a recent set of pictures comparing his wife’s physical beauty to that of Cruz’s.

This election has become, in case it had not been obvious enough, a complete circus. Our Founders would be ashamed and aghast.

So where does Easter fit into all of this?

I have said for a while now that while the United States may be a Republic, I draw great solace from the fact that the universe is a benevolent Monarchy with a good King. While there are many people, both now and in the past, who have suffered far more than we as a country can claim to be suffering, it is also true that this country seems to be reaping the fruit of many decades of various forms of cultural decay.

The candidates we have available are not an accident.

Our $19 trillion in debt is not an accident.

Our record levels of joblessness are not an accident.

The record levels of prescription drug use, depression and indebtedness among the next generation is not an accident.

The taking of the metaphorical field by Islamist fascists in numerous corners of the earth, and the West’s seeming inability to call a spade a spade, is not an accident.

But I’ll tell you what else was not an accident: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And while, as I said before, things could be a lot worse, it is that fact that gives me the most comfort in the midst of these intemperate and frenetic times.

After World War II, Bill Graham visited devastated and war-torn Germany and met with the new German Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer. Surveying the ruins of a gutted Berlin, Adenauer, a devout Catholic, asked Graham, “What is the most important thing in the world?” Before Graham could answer, Adenauer answered his own question: “The resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ is alive, then there is hope for the world. If Jesus Christ is in the grave, then I don’t see the slightest glimmer of hope on the horizon.”

Such were the sentiments of the man tasked with rebuilding Germany post-Hitler, post-Nazism and post-the most devastating war in human history. He knew of no other hope equal to the travails of the world than the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave.

And that’s why I’m glad that the latest low point of this campaign happens to coincide with the greatest high point of history. What a perspective changer! What a good reminder in an era when, as Christians, we are perhaps too quick to put too much stock in our political lights, and as a result sometimes forget the Father of Lights, in whose hand all things remain, and who is surprised by nothing.

Which is why I am most glad that while the United States may be a rambunctious, dysfunctional Republic at the moment, and while the devil and human sinfulness have a long leash at the moment, the universe is an orderly, just and well-managed Monarchy ruled over by a loving and sovereign King, whose Son was raised from the dead 2,000 years ago so that all mankind could partake of new life and be spared the destruction justly merited its sins.

It is in Him that I confide, both for myself, and our country.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!