He Is Risen

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"The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay."- St. Matthew 28:5-6. Easter is without a doubt the most significant of all the religious observances in Christianity. Easter, is the principal festival of the Christian church which celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after His Crucifixion. Easter is a time for restoration and reflection. Easter brings renewal regarding our faith and journey with Christ. Christ's resurrection is much more than an event. For Jesus, it was a person. “I am the Resurrection” as in St. John 11:25. The Resurrection is a process that began from the moment Christ was born. The season promotes hope for humanity despite of all the wars and conflicts throughout the world. Thankfully, Easter provides a soothing and calming disposition that allows us to self examine where we are in our journey with Christ. The cross as outlined in St. Luke 23:33 speak about Calvary, “and when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.” Christ made himself vulnerable as he took on the sins of the world. He was mocked, spat upon and ridiculed yet he was obedient to the will of His father. Interestingly, in addition to the cross that Christ died upon, there were two other crosses at Calvary. The cross is the primary Christian symbol, which recalls the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The cross symbolizes the entrenched faith of the followers of Christ. Importantly, Christ came to earth in the form of man and took on the sins of this world. The cross also signifies that in this life we will face hurdles and obstacles that will try our faith. Yet, we are reminded in Romans 8:35-39, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "for thy sake we are killed all the day-long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Easter represents victory! No one can escape the tribulations and trials of this present world. It is so important for us to express empathy towards others who are experiencing their season of trial. Yet, rest assured your time will come when you and your family will be tested. Without a doubt you too will require the support of others to navigate your time of trial. Many of us this Easter are faced with many trials. Our finances are stretched; our health is impaired. Our families continue to be dysfunctional. Unfortunately, many marriages are stuck on pause. Sadly, many among us are also suffering from the lingering effects of abuse, whether physical, emotional or sexual. Easter brings us comfort from the hurt and harm inflicted by loved ones and those with whom we having a passing acquaintance. The Lord is Here. Easter is a powerful reminder that the Lord is here. Jehovah-Shammah is found Ezekiel 48:35, “The distance around the entire city will be 18,000 cubits. And from that day the name of the city will be 'The Lord is There.’ Jehovah-Shammah is the name of God that means I am the Lord who is there. The Lord wants us to lay our burdens down so that He can help us carry the load. It may be burdens that we place on ourselves, it can be a ‘work’ load or it can be pressure that others place on us. No matter what the case may be our Father in heaven does not place any pressure on us but, the world does. As Jesus said, in the book of St.Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Easter also reminds us that the Lord is our Comforter. Jehovah Nacham we thank you for never leaving nor forsaking us. This Easter, we are reminded that Christ overcame the grave and death. We sing Hallelujah this Easter to your Matchless name oh Mighty God. This Easter we are encouraged to continue on our sojourn with Christ knowing that because He overcame the trials of this world that we too can overcome if we place our faith in Him. Easter brings us hope. Hope into our finances, into our families and our health. This hope is both for this current life as well as an eternal hope to be with Christ. Easter restores our faith. May this Easter be one of personal reflection and hope. May you remain in His presence. In the words of Fulton Sheen, unless there is a Good Friday in our lives, there will never be an Easter Sunday. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #Easter #ResurrectionSunday #EasterSunday

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