He Has Risen for the World

He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed! Today has both felt like Easter and not felt like Easter. It hasn't felt like Easter because of the absence of family and the absence of cultural and secular Easter. As much as I hate to admit it, that is very much apart of the emotional Easter experience. There were no chocolate bunnies or colored Easter eggs. The supermarkets were not teaming with pastel everything. So my attention was focused on its true meaning--this is out of necessity and not because I'm so "holy". Friday as a church we remembered Christ's dying on the cross in a tenebrea service. So today Easter Sunday was bright and beautiful and we celebrated his resurrection. And after the service our small community gathered together for a potluck meal.

Our small church is comprised of representatives from around the world. We are truly an international congregation. There are people from Korea, China, Japan, U.S.A., Canada, New Zealand, Tanzania, Philippines, Taiwan and more I'm sure. We are so different. What we have in common is "English" and "Jesus Christ". It seemed so right on Easter to share a meal with people from all different nations. It is the resurrection that ultimately brings all peoples together despite culture, language and creed. I can't say I've ever celebrated Easter like this. There may not have been an Easter bunny and bright colored eggs but there was a meaningful experience of dining with God's people from around the world. I experienced today the breadth and depth of resurrection life. I'm reminded that he came to live, die and rise again not just for me and "America" but for the WORLD. He is Risen. for the WORLD. He is Risen Indeed!