Dear Disciples of Christ at Holy Spirit, St. Helen’s, and St. Mary’s,

The joy of Easter shines a new light on the realities of our human experience. Yes, Jesus is risen and is truly a cause to sing Alleluia. The grave no longer has a hold on Him nor by the power of His grace does it have a claim on us. John chapter six literally comes to life with the resurrection. “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:54)

Truthfully, when Jesus first said this his disciples were quite confused and some even left. The core 12 remained because despite their confusion they trusted in His word. Simon (before his name change) replies, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.” (John 6:68)

You see, Easter reveals a deeper truth about Jesus and about ourselves. The Resurrection is the defining testament of the power of God’s Word. The supreme act of love that Jesus offered on the cross is received and returned by the Father in the resurrected life of his Son. Working in concert to save humanity, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit rescued humanity by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Easter signals the beginning of our salvation.

Easter also signals the hope and joys of this life we are currently living. While its impact reaches far and wide, it touches the very realities we are living through here and now. Given what is happening between our 3 parishes with mergers, closings, and new names we have in one degree or another entered into the darkness of Holy Week. We have known the uncertainty of our futures. We have felt the scourge of closing doors and being asked to be uprooted to another place. We have wondered what is the meaning of a worship site. We have agonized over the loss of a status of being an independent parish. We have witnessed the pangs of forfeiture of name, money and independence. The darkness of Good Friday has been laid at our footsteps.

Even the disciples showed distress in all this. They fled. They denied. They hid. Some ran away. Others felt discouragement. Yet there were a few who stood at the foot of the cross. Bewildered and sad of course they remained and gave solace to each other. Still others mustered the courage to go back to the tomb to properly perform the burial rituals of a so hasty entombment. Each of them represents us in these last few weeks. We have a tangible connection to their reality.

So too, we have a connection to their experience on that First Day of the week. Still confused by the empty tomb and the question who rolled back the stone, they carried on only to discover that Jesus is risen. Jesus is alive in a new reality similar but very different than their own. In time all their questions would be answered, and they would accept the new mission Jesus would give them.

You see, their story is now our story. Their pain and their darkness are similar to ours. Their grief and confusion correspond with our own. Now we should look at their response to the resurrection. We can find joy in the beginning of new life, in a new reality, in a newly named and formed parish. Our darkness gives way to God’s grace. Our light is the light of the Easter Candle hailing a new beginning for us, for our families, for the generations to follow after us. The tomb of change and loss has no more claim on us. We are a new people born of the light of God’s eternal love.

Yes, even for 40 days after the resurrection the disciples relied on the presence of Jesus. Then for 10 days more they prayed for the Spirit to descend. It arrived as wind and flame to empower them on Pentecost. From there they went out to become missionary disciples. So too are we called and sent by our Confirmation. Marked with the sign of the Spirit we have a new mission. God is calling us to give a new witness. We all have a new purpose, and God is inviting us to joyful accept our calling. Who knows maybe, just maybe God has been hearing our prayers for vocations ,and this is His answer to those prayers. Each of our three parishes is being asked to engage our faith in a new way from which new vocations may arise. Meanwhile, the the joys of Easter live on within us. A blessed Easter to all!

Fr. Tom