Christ is Risen! Hallelujah! Today, many people all over the world are celebrating the holiest of days – but in new and different ways. While many of us are disappointed at not able to attend church or see family because of stay-at-home orders and social distancing, we remember that the glory of God and the miracle of the resurrection is not diminished by our human expectations. Christ is risen! The radiance of Christ shines in each and every one of us today and no amount of distance can destroy the community of believers that God has drawn together in spirit. So, as we celebrate and remember the death and resurrection of Christ, let us remember that we are joined in heart and in spirit, though we may be apart in body.
1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Let us pray,
God of resurrection hope, you do wondrous things. You longed to be closer to your people and so you took on flesh and a human life as well as a human death. And your love for your people was so strong that even death could not hold it. Today, many of us are experiencing the wonder of the resurrection alongside our grief; grief that comes from not being able to celebrate in ways that we are accustomed to, sadness at being apart from loved ones, loss of loved ones, jobs, and a sense of certainty in life. On this special day, when we would normally gather with our siblings in Christ and shout “Hallelujah” with one voice, let us remember that, though we cannot gather together in body, we are united in spirit. And you, God, are with us wherever we go. Because we are your church, we are your temple and your Spirit dwells within us. So let us praise you, in new ways. Let us be transformed by your amazing love and renewed in spirit until our own stones can be rolled away. All this in your name we pray. Amen.
Sarah Swindall, Pastoral Intern