April 3, 2024
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
I’m afraid that won’t have changed the headlines, though. There are still many homes to rebuild on Maui. There is still a contentious political season around us. There are still wars being fought in the world.
Christ is risen indeed!
The Church’s ancient declaration is that Christ’s resurrection makes a unique and powerful difference in the relationship between human beings and their Creator. We’re not always certain about what that difference is, and Christians certainly don’t all agree on what it is, but we do believe this: the world is different, better, more blessed, because Christ lived and died and rose again.
Christ is risen!
The world may be different, but we human beings are a stubborn bunch. We persist in the errors and the evils that Christ exposed – exposed and forgave. The world has changed, but have we? Why hasn’t humanity let Christ’s resurrection change our hearts?
Christ is risen indeed!
God in Christ has intervened in the ancient dominion that sin, evil, and death have exercised over us. We continue to struggle with them, but their power over us can be broken. It has been broken. We can shed their influence if we want.
Christ is risen!
May the resurrection make a difference in our hearts and souls. May the resurrection guide us to wisdom and peace. May the resurrection open us to grace and love. Then we can fully sing:
“Alleluia! Christ is risen indeed!”
In peace,
Pastor Eric
The image is The Angel of the Lord (St John Passion – 9) by Jacek Andrzej Rossakiewicz, 1990, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=182929.
