Month: April 2024

           “The kingdom of the world
           has become the kingdom of our God and of God’s Messiah,
           and God will reign forever and ever.”

                        —Revelation 11.15

Easter is Judgment Day.
The great work of all our empires
of state and hearts are overturned;
our walls are broken down.
All our judgments are overruled.
All our cruelties rescinded.
Our sin revoked.
Our aloneness has been colonized
by God’s loving presence.
Even death has been dismembered, powerless.
Our fear is sentenced to life
locked up in hope and trust and joy.
Our death is taken from us,
and replaced by Life that is unassailable and infinite.
With the flaming sword of sunrise,
God has vanquished the shadows,
and even the darkness shines,
even the grave gives forth glory.

The Crucified One is risen.
Alleluia!

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light www.unfoldinglight.net
Listen to the audio recording:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:19 — 1.8MB)

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           He said to them, “Do not be alarmed;
           you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.
           He has been raised; he is not here.” …
           They went out and fled from the tomb,
           for terror and amazement had seized them;
           and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
                                            —Mark 16.6, 8


Yes, Easter is the bedrock
(rolled away) of our faith,
but before we settle into that exultant groove,
pause and give a moment
simply to be startled, and maybe offended,
as if God has made death into an April Fools’ prank—
or to be afraid, even,
that God upends everything we thought we knew,
that neither we nor our beliefs are in control,
that God will act and we will be dumbfounded.
Even our glib Easter faith will be blown away.
Faith is not certainty, but astonishment.

Christ is risen!
Whaddya know?

__________________
Steve Garnaas-Holmes
Unfolding Light
www.unfoldinglight.net
Listen to the audio recording:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:25 — 1.9MB)

Subscribe: Spotify | RSS