Rector Writes - March 2008

On the Monday following Easter, a business owner must lay-off an employee who has been with his company since the beginning. How will Christ's resurrection guide him?

On the Monday following Easter, a minister and spouse will move to a remote country church more than two hours further away from elderly relatives dependent upon their care. How will Jesus' resurrection help them continue in God’s ministry while dealing with disappointment?

On the Monday following Easter, the families of those who have been bereaved must find a way to go on living despite the painful grief they must bear. How will Christ's resurrection enable them to endure?

On the Monday following Easter, you too must wrestle with the unique challenges our changing world offers. How will Jesus Christ's resurrection help you face life's obstacles?

If Easter signifies more than bunnies, chocolate eggs and a few days off work... hard questions must be answered. Palm Sunday, the last supper, Jesus praying in the garden, his arrest, the appalling crucifixion and the resurrection has to be more than just an annual story told in church… doesn't it? I think so. So how does Easter help us find real answers for Monday morning realities?   

Maybe it would help to remember the followers of Jesus as they removed his lifeless body from the cross and laid it in a borrowed tomb? For three years their lives had meaning and purpose. Once, they were preparing for a "New Kingdom" and Christ would be their Messiah. Now, they felt cornered like frightened rabbits awaiting the strike of hungry predators. Confused, grief-stricken and deeply troubled the disciples faced a Monday morning filled only with despair

But Easter morning would bring about a dramatic transformation…

“Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to see the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, because an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him.

Then the angel spoke to the women. "’Don't be afraid!" he said. "I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He has been raised from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples he has been raised from the dead…’"  (Matthew 28:1-7)

Jesus was alive! The disciples could restore their broken dreams and continue preparations for a "New Kingdom." Christ was their Messiah after all. No longer would they be frightened rabbits. The now bold followers of Jesus would launch a movement that would change their future. Their message was "Hear the Good News! Jesus Christ has defeated death and offers eternal life to all who believe."

 For the business owner, the critical decisions must still be made but the living Christ gives him the compassion and wisdom to provide real help for his employee and friend.

The minister must move, but church members begin visiting his parents offering help and support. Jesus Christ is alive and actively involving the church family.

The families of those bereaved can find comfort knowing their loved ones are safely in the hands of God. The living Christ offers assurance during times of crisis.

You can now wake up on Monday morning in the secure knowledge that you will never again face life's obstacles alone! A risen Jesus will give you much needed hope for the future.

Because Jesus is alive, Easter is never simply a story. Easter is a testimony of God offering continual guidance and courage to deal with Monday morning decisions we all face. Most of all… Easter is the promise of living hope that will enable us to cope with life and all it throws at us.

Happy Easter, Paul.