Alleluia, Christ is risen!! Happy Easter!
Did you know that Easter lasts for fifty days? Though the Easter lilies have faded, our celebration of the resurrection of Christ continues.
Lent seemed long this year… Six weeks—forty days—can feel like a long time with no alleluias, no flowers in church, and a simple, somber atmosphere. But our celebration of Easter lasts even longer than Lent, which I think is significant. We take this beautiful season to dwell in the light of the resurrection. Perhaps we need even more time to absorb the reality of resurrection than we do to contemplate the death and trouble that beset Jesus—and that remain so present in our world today.
Springtime is a wonderful time to do this. As our part of planet earth comes alive in beautiful ways—the spring showers refreshing the soil, the sun peeking out from behind the clouds, the wildflowers in bloom, and leaves budding on gnarled old vines and trees—we are reminded that we are part of this rhythm of death and resurrection, a reality written into nature and at the heart of our faith.
The language in the Gospel of John, which we hear throughout much of Eastertide (the fancy church word for the Easter season!), invites us to dwell or abide in God. To dwell means to live—to make our home. This Easter season invites us to make our home in the truth that God is always bringing life out of every kind of death, and promises us life—life abundant.
Just as we take on spiritual practices during Lent to deepen our trust in God, I wonder what practices might help us dwell in the light of resurrection during this Easter season? For me, it looks like taking time each day to notice the beauty around me, spending quiet moments being rocked in my hammock, and savoring the small joys of life wherever I find them.
Our collective trials and my own over the last few years have taught me that joy, rest, and play are not icing on the cake, “nice when you can get them,” but essential components of a sustainable life in this world, vital nutrients of the spirit that God gives us, and essential to the life abundant Jesus promises in John 10:10.
I pray for you this Eastertide, dear ones: life, and life abundant. Please join us on Sundays as we continue to celebrate Easter!
In Christ’s deep peace, Rev. Amy
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