Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ your life appears,
then you too will appear with him in glory.
Lent reminded us of the enormity of our sins; Easter celebrates the Lord's victory over sin. Lent humiliated; Easter delights.
I was fortunate to celebrate Easter in Australia in 1980 and 1981. The Earth's southern temperate and polar zones in March and April are settling into Autumn and preparing for Winter. Other than the traditional lilies on greeting cards, Easter has few reminders of spring. And yet our spirits rose up refreshed at the Easter news.
Preachers often associate Easter with spring and the "hope that springs eternal within the human breast." They point to the superabundance of the Earth's vitality; that many seed-bearing trees produce millions of seeds in a single year. Only one of those seeds might sprout and mature but "Nature" will not be disappointed. The same tree will produce many more seeds which will be readily consumed by creatures of every size and shape, from microbes to men. Anyone can point to a dozen other examples of life's superabundant resilience.
Easter reminds us of that hopeful resilience but its source is far deeper and more encouraging than "nature." Easter is the promise. It is God's promise of mercy, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life. This promise is given to humankind despite our killing of his Only Beloved Son. It is the revelation that, what we thought was murder, was really a sacrifice and the Lord himself was the priest who offered the sacrifice -- which he did for us although he had no need to sacrifice for himself.
He was saved from death by the mercy of God his Father, and we are saved by his compassion for us.
Easter is the promise renewed and we can celebrate that with unrestrained joy. Little changed overnight in our world; the entire season has left few traces in the Realpolitik of humans dealing with one another. But, deepened by our experience of Lent, our Church remembers the promise and announces it to us and to the world again. How can we keep from singing?
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.