In a few days Christian churches all over the world will celebrate Easter and one of the most important tenets of faith ó Christ's resurrection from the dead.
Resurrection is not something we easily accept.
When evidence stacks up nothing supports this kind of claim. The first followers of Jesus had trouble believing too. Even at the tomb where the stone is rolled away. Even as Jesus' body is not there. Even as rumours circulate about Jesus "sightings." Even as Jesus enters their fear, as they touch the nail scars in his hands.
Yet little by little they believe. As Jesus comes to breathe peace, as he holds out his hands, the first Christians believe. Against all contrary evidence, Jesus bursts forth from the tomb, life bursts forth from death, Jesus rises to proclaim death does not have the last word. In joy, people begin to shout, to say, to sing -- "Christ is risen! Alleluia!"
They begin to live in hope -- hoping to see Jesus, looking for life rising in their world despite all claims otherwise.
Well, hope is an act of faith and courage. It takes courage to hope, faith to believe life can rise in the face of evil and death, hope to believe beyond what can be proven or seen. Faith is never easy -- not for the early Christians, not for us. Yet beyond logical explanation, faith is a gift that makes us hopeful -- Easter people who shout and sing, "Alleluia! Christ is risen!
What could this mean for us this Easter, as this past week we have seen horrors of chemical warfare; as we live in a culture of fear -- bombs, hatred, division, walls -- trying to hold on to what may not be ours in the first place?
What does resurrection mean? In the midst of contrary evidence stacking up where all these things are real -- where death is real -- we can be and are a people of hope. Because death NEVER gets the last word, life does. Jesus does. Jesus is God's first Word, God's ongoing Word, God's final Word of life and love for us. And in the life of Christ, we are Easter people living in hope to see where God is at work -- bursting from the ground, from the tomb, life springing from death, life rising in us, in our world. And so this Easter we too rise. Rise in life to shout, to sing, "Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!"
Rev. Kathy Calkins is the pastor at Innisfail's Peace Lutheran Church.
