To us, living in Northern Europe, the changes we see and feel as we come out of Winter into Springtime are wonderful signs to us of the meaning of Easter. A time of change, new life and new hope.
Spring flowers appear, beautiful blossom on the trees, nesting birds singing and lambs playing in the fields – all are heralds of the changes coming. Then we have the Spring Equinox with longer hours of daylight and the promise that hopefully we shall soon have some warm sunnier days. This morning I saw my first butterfly of the year. These small signs lift the spirit and speak to us of the joyous hope of new life of which we can be assured – God’s gift to us all, which is Easter – the time of new beginnings.
The disciples that had followed Jesus up to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival were excited but apprehensive. This was to be the climax of Jesus’s ministry, he was, so they thought, about to restore Israel’s greatness as a nation and shake off the Roman rulers. Speaking at the Last Supper Jesus tried to prepare them for what he knew would soon happen – his arrest, the mockery of his trials the awfulness of his crucifixion, his death and burial.
With the dreadful events a few days later their world fell apart. Their expectations of Jesus were dashed – for fear of the Jewish leaders they hid, some even left Jerusalem in despondency, abandoning their hopes.
Some brave women decided to go to tomb to pay their respects and anoint Jesus’s body.
The women’s courage was however rewarded as they were the first to see the risen Christ – Jesus in his resurrected body. This was the fulfilment of Gods’ plan – the glorious hope of the Resurrection – the offer of a new beginning.
That first Easter changed everything.
We too can share the excitement of the disciples when they realised that Jesus had risen as he had told them that he would.
We can know the real joy and hope of Easter and shout out “Christ is risen” “He has risen indeed”