Pause for thought: Alleluia! Crist is Risen!
Alleluia! Crist is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Are you still wishing people a Happy Easter I wonder? I wished someone a happy Easter today and they looked a bit shocked. The days of celebration until the Ascension and Pentecost are here to be embraced, for us to proclaim the Resurrection as an Easter people. Yes, the hot cross buns and the Easter eggs may have been consumed but Sunday by Sunday and weekday by weekday the Resurrection narrative continues to be proclaimed.
The journey of Christ through Holy week, with his entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the cleansing of the temple, the Last Supper, his death on the Cross and our Vigil as we waited for that day of Resurrection has given way to walking with his disciples on the Road to Emmaus and doubting Thomas having his doubts quashed, the wondrous catch of fish when he appeared to his disciples in Galilee and all those other joyous Resurrection appearances. Our journey with him and his journey with us continues as he opens to us the scriptures and we recognize him in the breaking of bread during these days.
We are still invited to walk with him and to celebrate, to live out our Easter joy in our interactions with others. For those who are used to targeted prayer through the resource of ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ during the period between Ascension and Pentecost it is a glorious way to round off the season by praying for others and deepening our own commitment to the Lord as we await the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. For those to whom this initiative is new here is the link or your Diocese may be providing resources. https://www.thykingdomcome.global/ . Thy Kingdom Come (TKC) is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray from Ascension to Pentecost for more people to come to know Jesus.
In these times when so much seems to be without hope, when war is raging, when injustice appears to have the upper hand, it is for us to proclaim the hope that we hold as Christians especially as we celebrate that real hope in a Risen Christ who has come through such suffering and who offers life to all at this Easter time.
Alleluia, Christ is Risen!
He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Revd Canon Richard Lowndes
