On this Easter Sunday, this Resurrection Day, this Feast of New Life, I share with you greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
The resurrection of our Lord is, indisputably, a turning point in human history. The death inherited from our first parents, and experienced so acutely in every subsequent generation, loses its sting. It no longer possesses the intractable power that might lead us to abandon hope... death has become a gateway to not simply new life, but to the fullness of a perfect life made possible solely through the passion and death of Jesus. It is for this reason that the Church has cherished the celebration of baptism at Easter since her earliest days. Baptism is a tangible entrance into the mystery of the dying and rising of the Savior, and conveys to us the full promise of the renewal of life.
Of deep importance, however, is the fact that the new life promised by God does not simply begin in some heaven that is light years away, inaccessible to us for now. New life begins here, in these bodies, in this community, among people who profess Christ and among those who do not. New life is not something for the future, it is something for the now.
As we enter into the Easter Season, I would challenge each of you to embrace the fullness of new life here and now. There is no need to wait for our earthly death to dive headlong into the infinite joy, mercy, peace, and strength of God. All that is required of us is the excitement and exuberance to step into our calling to manifest God's perfect justice, love, and peace in our words and in our deeds, and to abide in the Spirit in such a way that each of us may walk in fidelity to Jesus - not out of fear, or in a vain search for 'brownie points', but because he loved us first, and gave his life for us, becoming the first born of many siblings who bear within themselves the image and the likeness of their Savior.
In Christ, our Risen Lord, I seek to be your servant.
