May 1, 2016 – Fraternized

Christ is risen!

Indeed He is risen!

A great many things happen over the course of a year; our lives are touched by so many things, and often changed by them. The impermanence of everything becomes obvious to us – even we change, age, mature, as time passes.

In the Church, however, we also experience some things that never change. The Gospel – year after year, no matter how history changes or alters us – remains the same. Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death. That truth is unaltered by time. Each Pascha we experience the eternal element which has entered into human existence. Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

The Scriptures present in various ways that the godly life is a sojourn, but a special sojourn in which the destination is not always known, but sometimes is a mystery. So Abram is called by God to journey to the country to which God would show him. The Jews leave Egypt on a journey (40 year journey!) to the promised land. In both cases they were guided by God but did not know their journey’s end. They weren’t returning to a familiar place, but to some new and mysterious land. The Book of Hebrews tells us that all of these chosen people did not attain their hope because they were waiting for us to join them! (Hebrews 11:39-40)

So too we Christians are on just such a sojourn. God calls us and leads us to His Kingdom. It is a place of mystery to us, we haven’t been there yet, and the journey seems long and arduous. Great Lent each year helps us to focus on that sojourn – it reminds us about the great adventure on which we have embarked. Pascha reminds us of the glories that await us. Feel the call to God’s Kingdom! Strive to enter into that eternal rest. Much happens in our lives that can be puzzling, distracting, discouraging and distressing. We are to keep our eyes on Christ. Pascha give us this proper focus on Christ and thus helps us survive and thrive each day of our life on earth. May Christ be that beacon shining in your heart, beckoning you to continue toward the Kingdom of God. May the joy and the hope and the glory of the Resurrection of Christ guide you every day of your life!