April 16, 2026

Happy Easter!

During this Easter season we hear about how the risen Jesus appeared to his followers. He met Mary outside the tomb, his disciples in the locked room in Jerusalem, the eleven in Galilee, Cleopas and his wife on the road, his apostles on the beach, and finally his friends as he ascended in Bethany. His appearance was always unlooked-for, and often unrecognized. Some encounters were long enough only for a brief exchange, others lasted hours. Jesus appeared in the midst of grief, fear, despondency, and confusion, and each time, whatever the circumstance, even though the world was unchanged, nothing was ever the same.

The risen Christ comes to us in the same way. He appears unlooked-for, at unexpected times, in many places, and at difficult times. Often he is unrecognized, but when we do recognize his presence, nothing is ever the same. Our grief persists, the world is still full of violence, injustice, and poverty, and there is lots of love to be done. But knowing we are not alone in the work changes everything. The promise that there will be abundant life for all of us changes everything. The faith that God will accomplish what we cannot changes the world from a place of darkness to a place of hope and expectation.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! And the world is rising with him!