Pastor’s Perspective:

            Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!

            There’s something about this brief statement that prompts a spontaneous response of joy and gladness within my heart.  Hearing this statement – even typing it out in preparing the Easter bulletins brings gladness.  Maybe it’s the realization that the dark days of Lent are soon to be over.  Maybe it’s the realization that once again we can sing “Alleluia!” Maybe it’s the news and reality of proclaiming and living the mystery of faith that “Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.”

            The news of Easter does not come without its share of pain, whether as individuals, or as a community of faith.  Over the past months, there have been transitions.  There have been changes. There have been doubts, and periods of testing.

            All of these can and do happen in the life of faith.  We were never promised that being a Christian would be easy.  What we were promised was that God loves us, cares for us, and is always with us.

            The news of that first Easter also did not come with its share of pain.  Jesus was arrested, beaten, tried, and crucified.  He hung on a cross with criminals on either side of Him.  When His pain ended, He said, “it is finished”. And He died.

            But Jesus didn’t stay dead.  He rose as He had shared with His disciples.  He rose – and lives again.  In rising, Jesus makes all things new!

            In the hope and promise of the resurrection, we too have that promise and that assurance of all things being made new – including us, even in our moments of weakness.

             May blessings and grace be yours this Easter season and always!

Blessings and grace,

+Pr. Traci