Apr 12 - Easter - "Work Still to Do"

Alleluia! Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

John 20: 19-20
"Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, 'Peace be with you'. When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord."
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We have great joy today! Alleluia! Prophesy has been fulfilled; the story of centuries past, the promise of a Redeemer has come! Alleluia!

The pain we experienced these past few days is now gone. Christ has arisen triumphant over death. The grave has no ability to hold us. His sacrifice has secured for us the gift of eternal life with God, our Father, in Heaven. Alleluia!

Is this the end of the story? Of course not. We see the risen Christ visit his friends, giving them directions to make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. He offers proof to Thomas that He is actually Jesus, back from the dead. He tells them they will cast of demons, speak in tongues, heal the sick. He instructs them to feed His lambs and tend to His sheep.

After He does all of these things, our Lord, resurrected, is received up into Heaven and seated at the right hand of God. Alleluia!

In the Church Calender, for the next ten weeks, we get to experience the joy of living in the light of the Risen Christ. Through Ascension Day and Pentecost, we hear exciting stories of the Apostles' work in the world as the go out and follow the instructions given to them by their Lord Jesus Christ. After the dry, sorrowful time of Lent, when the word 'Alleluia' has left our vocabulary, we can't seem to say it enough: Christ is risen - Alleluia! The Lord is risen indeed - Alleluia!!! It is truly a time of celebration as Spring breaks forth in its full glory. The world is reborn and renewed. We shed our winter shells, turning our faces to the warm sun, feeling its energy giving us strength. We are awake and alive with joy!

When we arrive at the celebration of Pentecost at the end of May, we hear about the Holy Spirit coming into the world. The early church is then charged with spreading the Good News and given the ability to do it via the gift of the worlds' languages bestowed upon them.

About ten years ago, when as an adult I first became aware of the full Church Calendar, I thought, "Man...Pentecost is so long!" We go from the excitement of Advent, to Christmas, to Epiphany, to Ash Wednesday, to Lent, to Holy Week, then to Easter...all in a matter of about four months. Then, we have to wait 8 months to start the fun all over again. Why can't they do something to make the church year be more "exciting" for the bulk of the year? We have all these interesting things, keeping us going for a few months, then, a big dry spell.

But, my friends, our life in Christ is this way too. The Church Year is a microcosm of our lives in the Spirit. Our debt has been paid, our salvation assured. We have been given all the tools we need to keep us going through the long years ahead until Christ returns. The Holy Spirit is there for us to quench our thirst, keep us strong, to help us lift up others and provide support. We have received all of the things we need to live a life of joy in knowing we will all be together again one day with our Lord in Heaven. It is up to each of us to decide: what will we do? Will we keep the Joy, the Light, the Love, the Word, the Living Water all to ourselves? Will we keep the secret or will we shout it out with Joy, Light and Love in our hearts? If we are the Body, our feet should be moving, our hands should be healing and our hearts should be loving.

So, begin today. There is work still to do. Through your prayers, request discernment of what you will do to keep the Living Water of the love of Christ moving through you, into the world around you. The work is one of great joy and of great reward!

Brothers and sisters, I end these writings with a prayer for each of you.

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in His Name you will be in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of
your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting.

Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine: Glory to him from generation to generation in the Church, and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen!!!
The Lord is risen indeed!! Alleluia!!!!