From The Vicars Pen April 2022
Easter is about the assurance of new life through grace. One day I hope (and I hope that you too hope) to get to heaven. I certainly would like to see God. I also would like to see family, friends and many parishioners who have gone on before, the many people I want to sit down and have some conversation with. Of all the biblical people, aside from the Lord himself, when I get to heaven, I would like to meet the disciples.
They followed the way and teachings of God in Christ. Amongst other things, I want to ask them, “Please tell me what got you up that day. Tell me what got you to go to the tomb early in the morning when it was dark, and you could barely see.” The gospels tell us that they went and saw that the tomb was empty. I suppose they probably will say, “Well, we loved him, and we got up and went anyway. It was hard because it was dark, but we loved him, and we got up and we went anyway. Mary Magdalene and other women had told us that Jesus’ body was missing.
And, when we met the risen Jesus in the evening, we shouted our hallelujahs. He is risen.” In the last two years, many of our family members and friends - faithful disciples of God in Christ in our days, died and entered eternal life. This was during the pandemic. I have taken funeral services of people who put God first; people who put others before them; people who gave themselves for the cause of justice and peace.
They knew the hardships of this world but sang hallelujah anyway. That, my friends, is the tenacity of those who would follow in the footsteps of God in Jesus and his way of love. Although these are hard times, hallelujah anyhow, they sang. While you read this, I pray that the war in Ukraine will have ended. However, we must continue to welcome refugees – many of them faithful people of God. Our work goes on. Our labour for love continues. We will not cease until this world reflects less our nightmare and more God’s dream where there’s plenty good room for all God’s children. Hallelujah anyhow. When I get to heaven, I can’t wait to hear the disciples and my friends tell me he’s risen. Hallelujah! Wishing you all a Happy Easter!
Godfrey