The Story is NOT over....

Happy Eastertide and Spring!  One of the beautiful things about being an episcopalian, is that certain holidays are not restricted to just one day.  For example, we have the season of Christmas.  Now we are in the season of Easter, which runs for fifty days.  Then we enter the seemingly never ending season of Pentecost, or Ordinary Times.

Have you ever been watching a television show and it gets to the end of the episode, and you see the words "To be continued" flash across the screen?  Sure you have.  The soap operas even do this on Fridays with cliff hanging episodes to lure viewers to tune in on Monday to see what happens next.  I cannot believe that Lent has come and gone.  One of the devotionals that I read during Lent posed this question on Ash Wednesday.  "How will you be different after Easter?"  That really stayed with me throughout my lenten observance and contemplations.

During Lent, The Church of the Good Shepherd had powerful Wednesday night supper meetings, in which we fellow-shipped with food and were privileged to hear from four very powerful speakers on the topic of urban ministry in our community, and how we take the love and message of Christ beyond the doors of our church. I've walked away from Lent, with a greater sense of questioning and awareness of urban ministry.  How do we gather what society would call "the least of these" and let them know that God loves you, no exceptions?  How do we truly go forth into the world to love and serve God?

Let's fast forward.  In the gospel song "No greater love," near the end of the song, there is a line that goes like this.  "That's not how the story ends, three days later, He rose again.  That's love!"  Beloved, as we have journeyed from Lent into Easter, it is important that we remember that the story is not over.  Through Jesus' passion, crucifixion and resurrection, we are reminded that the story is not over.  We are currently in a "to be continued" place in the journey of our lives.  Oh what a price Jesus paid for us so that we could get to this very hour.  Your life, regardless of the failures, joys, successes and valley moments is not over.  The mere fact that you are here is a gentle reminder that you have been awakened into God's transforming power, for yet another day.

Jesus got up so that we could get up and realize that as we love God with all our heart, mind and soul, as well as our neighbors as ourselves, we are destined for greatness.  Will it be easy?  No.  The older saints used to say "I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow."  You may think that your situation is hopeless.  Your back may be against the wall.  Friends and family members may have turned their backs on you.  You are on the brink of a cliff hanger and I see "To be continued" in this chapter of your life.  Love always wins.

Alleluia!  Christ is risen.
Karsten