Philip Yancey, in his book 'The Jesus I never knew', writes: "If I take Easter as the starting point, the one incontrovertible fact about how God treats those whom he loves, then human history becomes the contradiction and Easter a preview of ultimate reality. Hope then flows like lava beneath the crust of daily life."
As I write this letter, Easter is still a week away and the world remains embroiled in economic turmoil - the fallout of yet another conflict rooted in deceit and unfettered self-interest. I have no idea whether, a week from now, the fighting will have ended or escalated. I do know that the wounds this violence will inflict will be far from healed either way. And I do know that our collective temptation will be to allow the world's story to be shaped by harm, and not by hope.
But that is not our story at all!
Our story is the one in which we face the pain and hurt and brokenness of the world, acknowledging that it is real; acknowledging that it is not trivially wished away or ignored; acknowledging that real people suffer real heartache for our collective failings - and then acknowledging that this is not the way things should or must inevitably be!
Our story is that the world was shaped by the light and love of a divine Creator, who stood in broken places with us; who was not overcome by that; and who stands with us still, so that we will not be overcome either. Our story is that love, and justice, and kindness, and mercy can plant deep roots in a world always meant for that, if we but continue to nurture those seeds with the living water of the Spirit we share. Our story is that Easter is not the exception, but the fundamental truth of who we always have, and always will, be.
As we tell that story again this year, let us remember again the triumph of hope over despair; of love over fear; of generosity over greed; and of compassion over rejection - not because that is all we will see in the world, but because that is what the world - in the risen Christ whom we celebrate and serve - will see in us!
A Blessed Easter to all of you,
The Very Reverend Douglas Michael
Dean & Rector