The eggs have been hunted, the Lenten abstinences have been joyfully left behind, the Easter feast has been celebrated and schools have started again. For us, who know how the story continues, it feels that it’s time to get back to ordinary life with whatever extra insight that the fresh retelling brought.
For the first disciples, their shock and confusion continued through the 50 days that we mark as the season of Easter. They must have known that nothing could be the same again but weren’t sure in what way. Each post-resurrection encounter with Jesus brought fresh confirmation that they weren’t dreaming. He met them in the ordinary things of life as they continued their familiar routines while trying to deal with the shock and make sense of what had happened.
In Central London, Easter has felt anything but routine. The disruption to traffic caused by the Extinction Rebellion protesters made it feel very different from normal. As a naturally cautious person, the protests jarred with me as a tactic but my heart is finally catching up with my head, which tells me that climate change is such a critical issue. The science is clear – continuing to do the same that we’ve been doing for years is not an option.
I’m still trying to process it but I found this Easter Collect especially helpful.
Risen Christ,
for whom no door is locked, no entrance barred:
open the doors of our hearts,
that we may seek the good of others
and walk the joyful road of sacrifice and peace,
to the praise of God the Father.
Jeff Claxton
