This April as we enter into spring, with longer and warmer days, we are faced with the darkness of Holy Week. It is a contrast between the darkness of our Lord’s suffering, shame, passion, and death on the cross and the blessed light of His Resurrection on the third day. This it is something we ought to consider as we watch the world (or at least Manitoba) wake up from the winter to enjoy the gift of spring.
There is nothing as dark as injustice, poverty, loneliness, violence, and slander. And although many of us might never be affected or afflicted by these blights and burdens, we all will have to deal with death and its inequality, its disregard for love and for a God who loved us first (1 John 4:19).
Whether it be the death of a child in Syria or a prostitute in Winnipeg, the death of a friend or a complete stranger, the death of an unborn child or of a aged mother or father, there is nothing as painful and dark as the destruction of humanity, created in the image and according to likeness of the Lord, created to be everything by grace that Christ is by nature.
It is akin to taking the most beautiful sunrise ever imagined, and blotting and choking it out with the blackness of smoke and ash.
But the Lord in His mercy, not content to see His creation suffer, takes on the burden of sin, its violence, injustice, its poverty, loneliness and slander, and even death itself, that He might fill it with His love and life, ending its dark stranglehold on humanity.
“Hell rules the race of mortal men, but not eternally: for when You were placed in the grave, O powerful one, You did tear asunder the bars of death by Your life-creating hand and did proclaim true deliverance to those sleeping there from the ages, since You, O Saviour have become the first born of the dead”. (Matins of Holy Saturday)
The miracle is that He offers this victory over darkness to all humanity, without cost, or penalty. His Resurrection becomes by the grace of our baptism, our victory that shines brighter than the sun, in and with our risen Lord.
May the Joy in our risen Lord bring peace and assurance that our struggles lead to life and light unto ages of ages, and in this we might truly rejoice in that eternal springtime of love, joy and mercy.
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Le Christ est ressuscité! En verité il est ressuscité!
Христос воскрес! Воістину воскрес!
