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Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus, our suffering and risen Christ.
As we recall the Passion of Jesus this Holy Week, it is interesting to ponder the power of this story spanning 2,000 years. Imagine how many languages and cultures have recalled Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, his sharing of the bread and cup, his humble foot-washing, and the betrayal, the denial and the desertion.
There are many reasons the story of agony, death and Resurrection have stood the test of time. Perhaps the most profound is the simplest: It is a story of hope amid despair. It proclaims resilience and promises new life even in the face of death and defeat. For me, Holy Week is a reminder of the transformational power of the Holy Spirit. We witness it annually in nature as days lengthen and spring arrives. We see it in the eyes of those who suffer and grieve and somehow find their way to a future that is joyful and life-giving. We embody it in the brokenness of our own lives and the wounds of the world, when healing and reconciliation bring peace.
In a chance encounter six months ago, I struck up a conversation with a man named Joe. Once he discovered I was a minister, he asked if he could share his story over coffee. Joe and his wife have four lovely children, though life has been far from easy. A dozen years ago, following an injury, Joe got hooked on drugs and spiraled into a mighty battle with addiction. He was arrested for possession, charged with dealing drugs, and sentenced to several years in prison. Imagine the stress on his spouse, raising children while working full time and driving long distances for weekend prison visits. While incarcerated, Joe was determined to turn his life around, so he sought out a chaplain who got him into a Bible study through which he discovered a life of faith. He pursued all kinds of studies and prayed relentlessly. In the final years of his prison term, Joe gave testimonies about his ongoing recovery, crediting God for transforming his life.
Upon his release, Joe promised himself — and God — that he would provide well for his family and treat others with the dignity and love Jesus taught us. Tragically, within a few years, he and his wife suffered the death of their baby boy, a devastating blow to their family. Joe shook his fist at God and anguished, “Why have you forsaken me?” Amazingly, Joe stayed clean and kept his faith despite deep anger and grief.
Now, seven years into his recovery, life is still challenging — yet this family is making it and living with hope and newfound meaning. A few weeks back Joe said to me, “I get up every morning thankful for my work, my family and the strength God gives me to be a positive influence in this world.”
The good news of Easter is this very promise to all of us: Resurrection is possible! So much in this world needs transformation. Earth groans under a changing climate, and our resurrecting God calls us to Earth care and healing. Unconscionable wars rage on, and our weeping God empowers us even more to be peacemakers and agents of relief. Tyrants threaten with their lies and deception, their greed and abuse of power, and our liberating God kindles sufficient courage in people of love and generosity that goodness prevails over evil.
We need the good news of Easter, and the reminder that — through it all — God is still speaking. Change begins in our listening to the sacred values and the eternal truths that echo through the centuries. From that original Good Friday and that first Easter dawn, God has spoken of a love so powerful, so beautiful, so enduring. This is our gift to have and to hold and to share with holy extravagance.
Wishing you a blessed Holy Week and a joyful Easter,
The Rev. Franz Rigert
Conference Minister
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