Happy Easter Asbury family. Let me share the traditional greeting with you: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Though Easter Sunday is past, we still celebrate the season of Easter – where we remember Jesus is alive and join him in everlasting life.
And yet, let me say what might be obvious to everyone; this Easter season is hard. We are doing hard things. Whether you are having to work from home, work somewhere as an essential employee, teach your children challenging math, feeling lonely, or perhaps even enjoying a slower pace, this is still hard.
Alongside this challenge, our grief is real. There are so many reasons for grief. At the beginning of the shelter in place orders, Brian conducted an online funeral – not just for people who have died, but for expectations, dreams, jobs, ways of life, end of year celebrations, family gatherings, and graduations. All these things and so many more have been canceled or postponed. And it’s okay to grieve going through all the different stages – denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance – back and forth and around again.
I’m thankful for the gift of Easter, in that Jesus never made light of anyone’s grief. He couldn’t just die, then pop back like a Jack-In-the-Box and expect everyone to be okay.There was a three-day wait as well as ongoing adjustment because the disciples’ grief was real.
Love is also real. You are dearly loved. Remember that God loves you and there is a community around you, though physically distant right now, who is embracing you. Not everyone saw Jesus at the same time, or in the same way. But Jesus’ return was the mark of God’s enduring love and that Jesus wanted to be with his family – the disciples.
Which brings us to Pentecost and the Holy Spirit. Fifty days after the resurrection, the disciples were gathered together in an upper room. The Holy Spirit came upon them like tongues of fire and they went out sharing the good news of God’s love for all people. Many were gathered that day and many were added to the number of believers. Now, though we cannot gather together as we might like, the same Holy Spirit brings us together again with the good news of God’s love for all people.
So we are living in times of great challenge, but with a God of great promise who is walking with us!
Know that if you need to talk to someone – for any reason happy or sad, please give me a call 828.263.2035 or
send me an email at kcornell@wnccumc.net
Blessings and Peace,
Katherine