This past Sunday, our sisters and brothers in the Orthodox Church celebrated Christ’s glorious Resurrection. In beautiful and highly nuanced liturgies, the Church proclaimed the triumph of light over darkness, creation over death, and hope over despair. For the people of Ukraine this was a very different Easter. The traditional vigil liturgies were canceled due to curfews in the wake of Russian bombardments. Yet, on Easter morning, people gathered at 1,000 year old Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv to rejoice that Christ is Alive. So, how do the Resurrection and the tragic human consequences of war seem to coexist? That is not a new question. The Epistles of the Apostle Paul exhorted the early Christian communities to stand strong against the reality of social and individual evil. That same counsel is valid in today’s world. That is the profound truth of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are now Easter people. Emboldened by Christ’s victory over death we are empowered to reject evil in all of its insidious manifestations. It is true that there are many Golgothas in each of our lives and in our world. However, because of Easter, we can and we must carry the light that overcomes the darkness of hate, injustice, and death. Now, that is genuinely Good News. Blessings, Pastor Tom John 21:15-19 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.” Comments are closed.
|
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
October 2022
Categories |