Easter means different
things to different people. For
some it is a holiday, enough days to get away and have a break! For some it is time to catch up with
family and enjoy time together.
For others it is about eating, as the smell of fresh hot cross buns
wafts on the air and chocolate, lots of chocolate tempts us. It is a time for rest, for fun, for
sport. The Easter break offers
opportunity for all this and yet Easter is so much more. Easter is a time to remember a great life-changing
event that happened long ago while still being real for us today and indeed
every day. How can this be?
The Christian church
celebrates on Easter Day because after the distress of Good Friday when the
death of Jesus is remembered, on Easter Day Jesus was raised from death the new
life, eternal life. Christians
believe that it is the power of God’s love that brought this new life. This offers us hope and the promise
that our life is lived surrounded and filled with the great love of God in this
life and for all eternity.
This process of death
and resurrection, of dying and rising is all around us and particularly evident
in rural areas where grain is grown.
The tiny seeds are planted in the dark earth and then in the right conditions
where there is enough moisture and sunshine, they miraculously germinate and
grow to form heads of grain that will provide food to sustain more life – human
life, animal life, and seed for next years crop. So too, the love of God grows and multiplies in our hearts
and shines forth from our lives.
This is all part of the great message that we reflect on and celebrate
at Easter.
- Rev. Christine Thomson (on behalf of the Ministry Team)
