Easter Sunday, He has Risen INDEED

I cannot tell you how much my children would have enjoyed the midnight service celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Not only because they have years of knowing the meaning and importance of the story, but of something they would have cherished much more….. the Hi waving Jesus. Yes, that is correct the Hi waving Jesus. In the beautiful town of Piegaro where I live, they have the most amazing statues, many hundreds of years old, for processions and for special places of honor in the church during the seasons. As the clock chimed midnight, the men behind the alter lifted, and obviously heavy statue of Jesus with his hand pointed toward heaven and in the course of moving him into place he gave the most welcoming wave I have ever seen. Talk about a joyous resurrection!!!

So often in churches you hear the allelujahs of Eastertide and the folks could be saying any word at all, often rather sullen words, but this was a great sign of joy. Jesus greeting us into the joy of eternity, woo hoo!!! Gone are the woes of his betrayal, gone are the pains of his torturers, gone is the silence of death, and hello to a world with the promise of hope!

What a joyous greeting, and how do we follow it up!?!?! The world now seems to have forgotten that Jesus came to offer hope, we want to destroy and take for ourselves as much as we can from this earth that God created for us all to share. Share, to share is a gift of joy, a way we greet our fellow travelers on life’s journey. When Jesus offers salvation it is a joyous gift he is offering us all to share in. Watching this amazing Jesus rise in Piegaro was a sign of this amazing love for one another that brings greetings for friends, neighbors, and even people like me…someone from the other side of the world!

We have the promise that we can love one another, even our enemies, for Jesus not only taught and lived this, but invites us to join in this joy of eternal love. It is the greeting that never ends. We have the choice, do we greet our neighbors, even our enemies as Jesus did on that resurrection Sunday and throughout his eternal life, or do we mumble the words of allelujah feebly and look upon all with suspicion, fear and a weariness that leads to death, war and ultimately create hell on earth?

It is my earnest prayer that we will all be so eager to greet one another with affection and joy, even as this amazing statue, and the amazing people in Piegaro have done for me. It is so good to fine resurrection in Jesus, and new life in Piegaro, Italy!