Easter Path of Life

Lord, you will show me the path of life. (Psalm 16)

The path of hope and holiness,
the path of mercy and love,
the path of peace and joy.

The path of life
is through the cross
in the resurrection
greater than I can imagine.

The path of life
calls me to trust in God,
to be open to being transformed,
to live as a witness of the Risen Christ.

The path of life
calls me to the living Christ,
to have my heart burn in recognizing Him around me,
to be nourished by Him who is life.

The path of life
my life rooted in Christ,
my life with roots and wings,
my life as a Child of God.

You will show me the path if life, O Lord,
I dare to tread upon it
knowing you walk with me.

Alleluia! Amen!

Roll Away The Stone

The first open door of the Resurrection was the tomb. When that stone was rolled away our new life began with so much richness. At times I think I forget that the stone has been rolled away, however Christ never does and he generously reminds me of that each day.

Roll Away The Stone…

when my heart is not open,

when I am lost in my own world,

when I feel overwhelmed,

when sorrow tries to reign,

when anger bubbles up,

when I am tired,

when frustration robs me of vision,

when I judge,

when I get caught up in falseness,

when freedom seems crushed,

when my vision is blurred,

when I fear transformation,

when my light feels faint,

when I forget about the open door,

when I forget that I am loved and valued,

Roll Away The Stone.

Roll Away The Stone

that blocks my heart

so it may be pierced

by your Resurrection light,

the glory of your love,

your transforming love

and the power of new life.

Roll Away The Stone

so I may truly live

and radiate you

and your goodness

which fills my life.

Roll Away The Stone

so I may be open

to the work

of your Spirit in me.

You are my breath and life,

come and fill me,

for I know that you are Risen

and come each day to

Roll Away The Stone.

Easter Joy is Transforming

Thanks to a dear friend I have a wonderful little reflection book for the season of Easter. On Monday of this Easter Week the reflection said:

The crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus teaches that in Jesus Christ, human existence is not just continued, it is transformed. This human existence can be transformed into something magnificent, something that eye has not seen and ear has not heard. By his dying on the cross and his rising to a transformed human life, Jesus has opened the door for me.

That hit home for me as my Lenten reflections were all about transformation and the journey of being transformed and being open to that gift. It is not always easy to embrace transformation. It is not always easy to claim the light that is ours. It is not always easy to walk through the door opened for us by Christ. However the Resurrection is the gift that allows us to grow in awareness of transformation, to be light bearers and to walk through that door. 

Our world so often says we are not good enough, strong enough, bright enough… as people of the Resurrection we have to say enough of NOT being enough and focus on the fact that we ARE enough because of the way, the truth and the life that is given us in baptism. The transformed life of Christ calls us to be people of transformation, light and openness. It is in claiming these attributes that we radiate Christ into the world. We are enough because we are loved by God, loved enough that he sent his only Son and he died and rose for us!

As we continue this Easter time let us ponder…

How have we been transformed? And what part of life still needs to be transformed? 

Are we willing to let it be touched by the transformed life of the Risen Lord?

How do we share light with others? Do we let the light of Christ shine through us? 

Where can we bear light this week?

How do we walk through the door opened by Christ? How do we open it for others? 

How do we remain open to the gifts that come from this open door?

The Joy of the Resurrection

Even when I feel tired,

even when I feel beaten down,

even when I feel uncertain,

the joy of the Resurrection is stronger.

Even when things go wrong,

even when things overwhelm me,

even when things leave me questioning,

the joy of the Resurrection is stronger.

Even when I am sad,

even when I am lonely,

even when I am frustrated,

the joy of the Resurrection is stronger.

Even when time slips away,

even when time drags on,

even when time pushes and pulls,

the joy of the Resurrection is stronger.

Stronger because the Resurrection

is transformation,

is life,

is peace,

is hope,

is beyond time.

The Resurrection is the joy

that infuses our journey

and sustains us

when the reality of the world

is ours to bear

because the joy of the Resurrection

is life transformed.

Easter is our annual reminder of this transformation... it is so powerful that one Season cannot contain it and so every Sunday we too are nourished by the transformed life of Christ. See how much our God loves us!

May we continue to be open to Easter transformation, be brave light bearers and courageous when walking through the open door of the Resurrection.

We are Transformed by Easter Hope

On this night/day as the world prepares for slumber/work,

or gets caught up in the latest episode of whatever,

or is taken in by the passing Stanley cup fever,

we Christians gather to pray,

to move from darkness to light,

to come to the tomb only to find it empty.

We gather with our sorrow and pains,

we gather with our hurts and fears,

we gather with our trials and hardships,

bringing them all with us

but knowing that no matter what we bring with us,

no matter how heavy the burden or light the load

we know that we have hope for our Redeemer Lives!

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Henri Nouwen once wrote:

“Hope means to keep living amid the desperation and to keep humming in the darkness. Hoping is knowing that there is love, it is trust in tomorrow, it is falling asleep and waking again when the sun rises. In the midst of the gale at sea, 

it is to discover land. In the eyes of another, it is to see that you are understood. 

As long as there is still hope there will also be prayer. 

And you will be held in God’s hands.”

This is the truth behind Easter. This is the promise of the Risen Lord. This is what we celebrate… that hope and love and life always win over darkness, fear and death. Our hope maybe begin as faint humming but will turn to full out singing when we remember and encounter that Christ is Risen and among us. Ah huh… there it is… “among us”… that hope that was promised to us when we he was born… Emmanuel… God With Us! It is through his cross, death and resurrection that he indeed is among us always, even when we doubt or don’t believe… he never leaves us today, tomorrow, asleep or awake, in the storms of life, in our prayers…never because we are always held in God's hands; God's crucified hands; God's hands of love. This is a beautiful gift and this is the hope that I continue to discover in my life and the hope that is anchored in my depths. It is one that I pray each of us can hold on to and let it fashion us to be hope-bearers, light-bearers, Christ-bearers for our hurting, scary, struggling world. We must live knowing that Emmanuel was born for all and that He is the One who lived among us and continues to be with us today and always until the end of time!

This is Easter my friends… this is the joy of Easter… this is God laughing in the face of the devil and evil and every sin that tries to steal us from the gift of God’s mercy. This is God laughing with great joy and saying, “I don’t think so Satan, these ones and those ones, and even the ones who won’t darken a door of church this Easter, or those lost in the latest fad or those who cheer louder for their hockey team then for my son, all of them… Jesus, my Son, died for all of them… because we love them more than anything and they are created good and holy and because they are created in my image they are mine! And just when you think you had won and had it all, there in that moment.., at his tomb… my love was so strong… and my son, my only Son, my beloved Son… 

he lives… He lives… He Lives 

and his Spirit is among all my people… so with great joy I laugh in the face of your darkness for “Where O death is your victory? Where O death is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15.55-57) NOWHERE… for the victory (the hope and the love) is in Christ Jesus Risen!” :) 

And so let Alleluia be our song 

for it is…

A song of hope!

A song of victory!

A song of promise!

A song of praise!

A song that reminds us that 

Christ is Risen,

He has trampled death 

and he is with us always!

Alleluia reminds us that we have been transformed by the cross of Christ and that his wounds have set us free. We have been transformed because we have been redeemed 

and we walk in the light of our Risen Lord!

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

He Lives!

Easter Blessings!

Holy Week: The Call of Transformation

Holy Week is about transformation for it calls us to journey deeper, to encounter Christ, to witness God’s love and to discover truths about ourselves and our journey of faith. As we enter into this week each day demands of us an awareness of transformation.

“Look your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey…” 

– Matthew 21.5

Palm Sunday 

calls us to look at what we need to let go of to be transformed.

Do we just shout Hosanna or are we willing to pick up the cross?

For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust. 

– Psalm 71.5

The quiet days of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week are simply that, 

a reminder of quiet and reflection needed in our lives.

Are we quiet enough to hear how God is inviting and calling us to be opened and transformed?

“This is my Body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 

– 1 Corinthians 11.24

Holy Thursday 

reminds us that we are all family, we are called to the Table of Life and 

we are called to serve.

Who do we invite to our daily table? Do we help others to be nourished?

Do we take the time to appreciate the gift it is to receive the Bread of Life?

Where do we ‘wash the feet’ of our family and neighbors?

Christ became obedient for us to death, even death on a cross. 

– Philippians 2.8

Good Friday. 

The transforming cross is placed before us.

Can we gaze on it and place all our worries and fears, hopes and dreams at it?

Do we trust that through the cross we are transformed and brought 

to the fullest of life?

Be glad, let earth be glad, as glory floods her, 

ablaze with light from her eternal King,

let all corners of the earth be glad, 

knowing an end to gloom and darkness. 

– Easter Exsultet

Holy Saturday. 

This two-fold day…

we begin at the tomb with the stone rolled across

we end leaving the tomb for the stone has been rolled away.

This is the night of nights, this is truly about transformation 

from darkness to light, emptiness to fullness, 

broken to whole, death to life.

Where in our lives have we recently experienced darkness to light, death to life?

Have we let this transformation touch us and how we live our lives?

O Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; 

his steadfast love endures forever. 

This is the day the Lord has made; 

let us rejoice and be glad. 

– Psalm 118.1, 24

Easter Sunday.

New Life – Redeemed, Freedom, Transformed

Indeed let us rejoice! Let us give thanks to our God for the gift of new life which is life transformed by the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that we are claimed for life eternal by our God.

How can we help others experience new life?

Where in our own journey do we need to experience the transformation new life offers?

How will we live as Easter people this year?

As we journey into this week of weeks, 

may we be open to the gift of transformation 

that it offers to us.

Blessings on your journey.

Life Transformed

Arise!

my friend and live.

Arise!

for God lives in you.

Arise!

and show forth God’s glory.

Arise!

be a witness of life.

Arise!

celebrate God’s mercy and love.

Arise!

be free of all that binds you.

Arise!

to embrace goodness and healing.

Arise!

and know the bond of friendship.

Arise!

to walk in the hope of the resurrection.

Arise!

to taste life everlasting.

Arise!

and know I love you.

Arise!

for I AM the way, the truth and the life.

Arise!

for you live in me and I live in you.

Arise!

Life of Jesus Mafa was an initiative undertaken in the 1970s to help teach the gospel in Northern Cameroon

Lord Jesus,

like Lazarus you call us to life each day

and free us from the bonds of death.

As we continue our earthly pilgrimage

we trust in your ways, walk in your light and

are assured of the promise of everlasting life.

We pray for courage, strength, joy and hope

to arise and live as the Child of God we are:

transformed by love, transformed by life,

being open to the gift of hope and freedom

because you are the Resurrection and the Life.

When our time comes to face death,

may we trust in your embrace and

may we know your love surrounds us

welcoming us to a life that is beyond

anything we have known here.

Amen.

The gospel for the 5^th Sunday of Lent is the story of Jesus of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus called forth his friend from the grave… “Lazarus come out!” he was calling him to a new reality, to a life transformed, to the power of life. He was saying arise because life is more powerful than death.

As I reflected on this gospel I was awakened to the gifts that life calls us to and how Christ unbinds us and sets us free so that we may arise from the traps that the world calls life. May the story of Lazarus allow for us to reflect on our own lives and relationships and call us forth from the tombs we create for ourselves. May we arise to the gift of life that we have here as we keep our eyes on the gift of everlasting life. May we give thanks for the relationships that call us to life and that allow us to be free. May we be challenged to bring life to those, which like Lazarus, are bonded and need us to guide them to life set free – to life anew. May we have the courage to arise transformed and open to God continually working in our life. May we have the courage to step trustingly into the light when we here Jesus call to us… “Come Out!” This is truly life… this is the gift of a life transformed.

Here is to life and the blessings of this Lenten week.