Sunday 16 April 2017

Easter Day - he is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Easter Message 

The biggest challenge is how to live with joy.

Across the world in every language, in churches, chapels and cathedrals – the shout will go up – Christ is risen. The whole body of Christ – the church – will declare that love has defeated hate, hope has danced on the grave of despair and life has overcome death. We will sing, some will dance, some will dress crosses and others will eat chocolate eggs (some of us will do all this and more!) – and at the heart of the celebration is the joy at the very centre of our faith. God does not abandon us, has not abandoned us and will not abandon us. The contrast with the bleak horror of Good Friday could not be greater – God’s good will for a newly created world has been made real.
What next? After the party, the singing, eating, dancing and wearing our Easter Sunday best, what do we do now? What does it mean to live as people of new life – to be those who live in the light of the knowledge of the resurrection? This is the challenge for us – the painful events of Holy Week are not where the biggest challenge lies – the biggest challenge is how to live with joy. How do we share good news, joyful news, and new-life news with a world that seems mesmerised by death? The cross we take up is to be bearers of joy to a world that is drawn to pain; to be bringers of glad tidings to a world that only notices disaster; to be hopeful where there is no hope. When the world thinks that the story is finished and all is done, we know things are only just beginning. How will you and your church be bearers of joy in your community and in the world? Do get in touch and let us know how you live as people of resurrection hope and have a very blessed and peaceful Easter.
Written as the London District Chairs' Easter Message

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