Easter 2

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

​Welcome to worship.
I hope the journey through Easter is going well for you. The great thing about Easter is that it isn’t just a day (as in Easter Day), but it is a season that lasts for 50 days. What is good about that some may ask? Well apart from consuming Easter Eggs for 50 days, it is a wonderful reminder that the presence of the risen Christ is still among us.

Following the Resurrection Jesus appeared amongst his disciples in a locked room. He cooked and ate fish with them on a beach. He talked with a couple of followers on the road to Emmaus and broke bread with them. There is  a sense of mystery surrounding these appearances and what his resurrected body was like will always raise questions. At the end of the day though, the disciples were sure that Jesus was with them.

In a similar way we can have faith and trust that the risen Christ is still present in the lives of his followers. We can pray and be aware of his presence. We can have conversations with him in our minds and hearts. Today’s Gospel, Jesus said to his disciples; “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The same Spirit is among us today and every day. In that way Easter is an unending season for the rest of our lives and for eternity.

As St Augustine of Hippo wrote:
“We are an Easter people, alleluia is our song!”

May you continue to journey well through the great season of Easter!
Fr Ian