Dear Friends,
Happy Easter to you all! I hope your festivities were full of joy and blessings. We are now in the Easter season – the so-called 50 days of ‘unremitting joy’ which lasts until Pentecost. The phrase might be said in a slightly wry tone as I think that few of us can keep up the high exaltation of Resurrection Day for 50 days – we would, I suspect, be quite exhausted by the end of it! And, of course, life doesn’t contain only the highs – it often brings lows with it as well.
However, this season encourages us to celebrate all that is good in our lives. And that might apply in times of rejoicing when it comes naturally – but also in the tougher times, when perhaps it is not so easy.
The Easter season is about living with a deep-down gratitude and gladness that transcends day to day circumstances and points us to look upwards and inwards to the God who is always present.
The Easter season also encourages us to live without fear. Fear is peddled with great energy by the newspapers and media. Fear sells papers and appeals to our basic survival instincts. However ,the Christian faith takes to heart the words of Christ to Mary and the disciples: Do not be afraid. God showed us that not even death on a cross can vanquish God’s power – that there is always hope in every situation and circumstance because God in the midst of it – and because of this we can trust God with our everyday and our most serious problems.
Lastly, in this season we are called to live with new eyes. It is the time of spring when new buds and flowers are showing themselves to the world. And Jesus at this time says, I make all things new. And that applies to us too. We are resurrection people and we are made new in Christ. We are called to live with positivity… to renew relationships that perhaps we take for granted, to express our love and compassion for our community and world… and to see our small corner of life through God’s eyes of love and compassion.
Happy Easter everyone! Live in Christ’s joy.
