He is risen!

Happy Easter friends, as we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, may you know the hope embedded in this day, today and always.

When Jesus walked out of the tomb, early on that first Easter, I wonder how he felt? A new day, moving in his new Resurrection body, Jesus had been involved in a cosmic battle that changed everything irrevocably forever. And yet he came back to a place and time, a world where it appeared nothing much had changed. There was still death, tears, poverty, pettiness and downright evil in the world around him. I imagine the resurrected Jesus must have been able to see the bigger picture better than we can, knowing that there was real truth and real victory and real hope even as the world moved on.

The thing that struck me this Easter time was the way that Jesus dealt so generously with individuals – taking time for them – from asking his disciple to care for his mother while hanging on the cross to reintroducing himself to Mary Magdalene in the garden, Jesus worked on an individual level, touching people where they were.

There’s a story about a little girl on a beach full of stranded starfish, throwing them back into the sea one by one, because each effort she puts in makes a huge difference to the starfish concerned.

Jesus asks us to do the same. Every time we do something for ‘the least of my brothers and sisters’ we do it for him. The big picture is often to big and too hard; few of us can effect change on a global scale. We cannot address climate change, but each time we walk instead of drive, or fill our reusable water bottle from the tap instead of buying another plastic bottle we make a tiny difference. We cannot remove global poverty, but sponsoring a child the the two thirds world or giving a sandwich to a homeless person makes a little bit of positive difference, not only to the recipient, but to the people around them, which may have more impact than we ever dream. It also leaves a trail of breadcrumbs for others to follow.

Maybe the little girl on the beach came with her family, who could also pick up starfish, and be seen by others on the beach who could follow their example, and suddenly the impact is multiplied.

Jesus simplified the commandments down to two main principles: Love God with all of you, and love your neighbour as yourself. Sometimes loving God seems a difficult, distant thing, and on those days starting with loving your neighbour can bring you back to God through simple acts of kindness, learning from Jesus’ example.

Jesus didn’t just make a way for us through the cross. He also set down a way for us to live, day by day, until he comes again, when we will finally see the big picture and his Kingdom is ushered in, in its glorious entirety.

Jesus is risen! Hallelujah!