I don’t know if you have delved into any of the Church of England ‘Live Lent’ series of articles? These stimulate a bit of thought and reflection in this journey through Lent and are worth exploring.

This week The continuing theme has been ‘hope’, reflecting the challenges we face in the story of our lives. One of the reasons Songs of Praise on BBC TV has been one of the longest running series of its genre (over 60 years) is that it shared extraordinary stories of ordinary people.

Most of us are not called to be great orators but all of us have a story to tell – our own story. And those stories of life, faith and experience draw in those who hear them. Sharing our story touches peoples’ hearts; it is what generations of followers of Christ have done over the centuries. You tell your story not just for yourself but for others; you can be the inspiration others need and welcome.

The story of Holy Week reaches its climax on Good Friday and we celebrate Resurrection on Easter Day. I find that the last part of the journey, from Palm Sunday through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday is always very poignant. We have acknowledged, in the news, in the churches and in our lives the 5th Anniversary since the pandemic began and we were in lockdown. Many still feel that this was their Good Friday and the trauma has not ended.

The resurrection story is not only about Jesus; it’s also a message about how God acts – about how God is present in risen life now – life that is transformed by God’s love. God creates our faith now –and we can write our own stories and tell of our own experience like Mary and those first disciples. But it is simply because of this – that God was revealed in Jesus there and then- that we can encounter God here and now. Those of us who have not been through the tragedies and hardships some are forced to endure are sometimes tempted to celebrate Easter Day without expecting there to be a Good Friday. Jesus knew it could not be so. For some, Good Friday never seems to end.

The message of resurrection is that ‘Christ is not here’, inhabiting the realm of the dead, “for he has been raised” and stands alive for hope in new and transformed life. We live as Easter people, not by our achievements or our power or status, but by the exchange and gift of our broken selves in our shared lives together, and by the grace of God which still, over 2000 years since that first resurrection morning, has the power to touch and heal and bring new life. Easter Day celebrates that gift of new life and is truly experienced over and over again, not in perfect lives, untouched by doubt and never graced by loss and despair, but in broken lives, poured out in love and sacrifice.

May we have hope in our hearts this Easter time, to inspire others with our stories. I hope that your journey through Lent is a productive one and wish you all a very happy Easter and the hope of better things to come……

Loving God, every person we meet has a story to share.

Help us to take the time to listen, to pay attention, and to be enriched by what we hear.

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. Church of England Alternative Collect Easter 2

Rev'd Elizabeth Wall Associate Minister