After watching a moving, streamed Easter service, as great as it was, I still struggled with feeling alone and isolated today, as have countless others. I tried to make myself feel stronger by thinking back to how the first "Easter" must have felt; how those involved in the original event had no "worship" tools at hand. It's a good time for us to reverse the many messages about victory related to Easter, and try to put ourselves inside the experience to remember the message is not one of victory, but of transformation, both individual and collective. I wrote this nearly 30 years ago. But now in 2020, it seems right to share it. Blessings, all.
INSIDE
EASTER
Not
passion
but
parade
Not bread
but cake
Not
robe
but
fashion
Not silence
but song
Not
gratitude
but
victory
Not tomb
but talk
Not
Jesus
but
us
making
noise
Not Jesus
but us
wearing hats
Not
Jesus
but
us
claiming
power and
an
easy Easter,
risen
sun
shining
down in
time
for lunch.
No. No.
Easter
is the time to go,
each
of us alone,
to
the dark hole
of
the empty tomb, to ask
the
blackened, fear-filled question,
“My
Lord, where is He?”
Easter
is the time to turn,
each
of us alone,
to
the light of the
morning
borne from
two
days’ mourning
and
hear our name
spoken
in light,
glimpse
His robe
at
our shoulder
and
then
with
relief
with
joy
with
wonder deep
with
blinded awe
come
to rest at His
risen
feet,
and
give thanks to God
in
whispers and in tears
He
lives,
and
the miracle is
His
life His love
live
in us all
each
one, each one
So
let your Alleluia
sound—gently,
softly—
sung
from heart profound
and
joyous on this
sacred
day that
proves
our holy ground.
Simply,
quietly,
let
us joyous be
and
give our Lord
all
glory.
___________________________________________________________________
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