Easter Sunday is the day when we rediscover our Alleluias. Alleluias experienced this year in bubbles; in teddy bears with bunny ears and coloured eggs, and in walks that see afresh the beauty in our local community.
As Mary wept at the tomb, Jesus spoke her name and she recognised him. It was an alleluia moment. Not fully understood, but what alleluias are? Even when we don’t fully comprehend the way God is meeting us in our pain, we still are empowered to find a deeply held alleluia. What we see makes no sense, but that is where Jesus calls our name. We have a choice to find something we can be thankful for, even in our anxiety and confusion. Today, on Easter Sunday, more than ever.
In the Easter story we see the different characters respons to their pain in different ways, just as we each respond differently in these days. But we see Jesus meets each one in the place they are, just as Jesus will meet us. Like Mary, we may be blinded by our tears for a time. Like John, we might need to make space to think things through in quite a cerebral way. Like Peter, we may find ourselves impulsively able to believe. But somehow all three make this journey with Jesus, from death to life.
In this time when our world is facing the reality of death, we are being called to live as resurrection. To let Allelulias still take their place in our very being. Because Jesus’ resurrection is for this very time and space. It is to the shadows and death that Jesus speaks most powerfully, and within those shadows we are empowered to respond with Alleluias.
The power of the resurrection is that its power remains amidst the pain of our shared humanity.
Easter is a big shout of protest to all that is death.
Easter is a defiant act against all that suppresses life.
Easter is choosing to stay home whilst reaching out as a welcoming people.
Easter is courageously going out to work in the essential services.
Easter persists in loving triumph, through hundreds of small things each day as we choose to live our alleluias.
At the manse, today we found the Alleluia banner made in the early days of lockdown, and we have hung it in our home.
And so as we reach the culmination of our Holy Week Journey which actually is the beginning of our Easter Journey, I light a candle beside my final square –the white one that is spacious and open and welcoming. Here today, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus, we choose to hold Alleluias in our hearts.
