Easter Dayrings out with a type of celebration which we often find difficult – andunderstandably.
The death of those whom we love and know leaves us bereft andwandering in darkness and loneliness.
Yet Easter speaks confidently and withcelebration of the way in which Jesus Christ has overcome death and has openedthe gate of everlasting life. This is a bold and loving claim. It transformsnot only life but even death through resurrection.
The angel whospoke to the women at the tomb asked them to go quickly and tell the disciples:He has been raised from the dead and is going ahead ofyou into Galilee.
So theCollect for Easter Day tells us today and every day that the grace of God, withequal urgency and realism, goes ahead of us and fills our minds with the longingfor good things.
This is apowerful encouragement to courage itself. Courage is not always about somethingdramatic. It needs the qualities of constancy and continuity.
The Collect forEaster Day goes on to give substance to what happens in our minds – namely thatwe call on God’s grace to bring those good desires to good effect.
In otherwords, thinking of the thing is not enough; you and I need to want to do it forother people and for ourselves – and then to go and do it.
The Season ofEaster pours out its blessing on us until the Day of Pentecost. And then theSpirit of Christ takes the love of God out into the world from the church.
Letus rejoice and resound today with the Alleluias which once again find theirvoice after the restraints of Lent.
Christ isrisen!
The Lord isrisen indeed. Alleluia!
+Michael
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