Resurrection Life

Because of links with Christians in Ukraine. this year Easter has been different from any other for me. As their Feast days come one week later than ours, Holy ‘Week’ has been two weeks of focussing on the cross and resurrection of Jesus and what it means to us all personally in our different situations. One Ukrainian pastor said, “Our human suffering helps to understand what the Son of God suffered. For people, death is the end, but God used death to give life”. Remember Jesus’ words about the seed that dies to give life? For our people, this is becoming very relevant.”

Five days after Easter Sunday here in the UK, I went to York Minster to see the visual displays called ‘Easter Experience’. Just as I had reached Stop 3 The Last Supper Remember Me, my progress was suddenly interrupted by the arrival of a bride for her marriage service.

Although certain areas were sealed off to the public, I could peep through the windows of the ‘Quire’ and see the couple standing beneath the massive, stained-glass window depicting the story of Genesis to Revelation, as they made vows to love and cherish each other.

The sound system beamed out the service and the organ played ‘Sing Hosanna’ and ‘Be still for the Presence of the Lord’. As man and wife, they walked out to the clapping of all the onlookers, disappearing through the great carved wooden door beneath the Rose Window.

I continued around the Minster to find Stop 4 The Garden of Gethsemane, Stop 5 Good Friday and Stop 6 Easter Day. The huge wooden cross of Jesus was no longer bare. It was adorned with white lilies. And there was the empty tomb with its white linen cloth, surrounded by a garden of golden daffodils.

The placard explained that, after Easter Sunday, their Easter Garden is filled with flowers and has an empty tomb to show that Christians believe Jesus is risen from the dead and brings new hope to the world. It said, ‘Have you thought about … How might the resurrection be good news for you and the world?’

Even in the midst of suffering, when the world seems dark, there is beauty, creativity, joy, and times of celebration that suddenly break through and remind us of God’s heavenly Kingdom, like that young couple getting married in an ancient cathedral.

Jesus taught us that He was the Good Shepherd who guides, protects, and leads us. He showed us how He came to destroy the works of the evil one and bring life in the place of death, healing in the place of pain and suffering, joy, and laughter in the place of sorrow. He desires us to find fullness of life in His presence.