Across the Pastor’s Desk

By the Rev. Monrad Mandsager, Retired chaplain

Easter has come and gone. Right? NO! Easter is not over, Easter continues!

There are seven weeks of the Easter season or 50 days to Pentecost. Seven weeks to particularly celebrate Easter and contemplate its significance and meaning for our lives.

Actually, every Sunday is a miniature celebration of Easter. Jesus arose from the dead on the first day of the week. The early church celebrated the Resurrection with worship and prayers, preaching and teaching, and the celebration of Holy Communion, believing the Risen Christ was, and is, truly present with us in the Lord’s Supper, His Body and Blood given and shed for us.

He strengthens us with these gifts of grace, forgives our sins and bestows upon us His Holy Spirit. This, to help us live the new resurrection life of love and faith, of hope and peace, of kindness and generosity, bearing the fruits of the Spirit in our daily lives to the glory of God and the representation of Christ through our lives to all who need His saving grace and love, which is every human being.

We all hunger and thirst for God, for love, peace, hope and promise. We need to be transformed and renewed by the living Christ, and the Holy Spirit!

So, for this to happen, we need to gather on the first day of the week in celebration of our Lord’s resurrection in order that we might hear His word, be transformed by His Spirit, and be renewed in hope and love, which we cannot manufacture on our own. We need to be empowered by a power beyond ourselves;

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3 ) Surly we need this renewal weekly, in fact daily, some moments, at least to read or listen to His Word, to open our hearts to His presence and Spirit, to ask for His help. His mercy and grace, and pray that He will use us in His service to bless the lives of others.

It is wonderful to celebrate Easter, Christ’s Resurrection! It is heartening to have our churches full! Let’s keep the Easter experience of celebration of worship; renewal in hope and commitment of love alive each and every Sunday, so that we live our lives daily in relationship with Christ, being His disciples in our world today.

The apostle Paul writes of the living out of our baptism in a daily death to selfishness and sin; and daily rising with Christ to a new life of love and righteousness. We can be and are made new by our crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ. In Him and by his Spirit may we be made new creations in every aspect of our lives.

Wishing you a blessed Easter season, with the life-giving power of our Risen Christ, the comfort of His Holy Spirit, the fruits and blessing of His Spirit within us, to in turn bless the lives of others; particularly all who are hurting in this troubled world. Our Living Christ calls us to be His hands. His feet, His voice. His presence to others. He will empower us with His Spirit as we ask for His help and put our trust in Him. In Christ’s love let us be His body in the world today.