A Message for Easter 2022 from Canon Rev Paul Lawlor:
A RECENT article on the Guardian website concerned the Radio 4 Thought For The Day from Archbishop Justin Welby, in response to the current world situation.
The Archbishop concluded that in uncertain times a key point is that, “For me and for many of faith, the great certainty in the world, the only certainty, is that we know that God does not change.”
The Guardian’s Catherine Bennett, responded: “There are no answers to all the awfully big questions beyond the speaker’s declaration of faith. At times like this, we ask: how can such stuff still be broadcast to the educated audience of a news programme?”
Personally, I think it is easy to be critical, especially when the critic is not required to provide what would they then say.
The Easter season points us to God’s desire to be in a living relationship with humans.
Faith is required in this, unique events defy scientific method.
What we do have is the lived experience of the disciples of Jesus. They witnessed the life of Jesus and the amazing events of his public ministry. They saw the miracles, they heard his teaching first hand.
Then they lived through the terrible events from Jesus’ arrest, sham trials and public crucifixion.
It would have all seemed to have been for nothing.
But then they would experience the risen Jesus.
They would go on to tell of this throughout the world. From the darkest moment came a message that God loves us so much that he would experience death for our sake.
Without faith this simply becomes an interesting myth. With faith this should be the most important thing.
For many in the midst of the battles in Ukraine it is fundamental to their continuing hope.
Yes, we, in our weakness still get things wrong, but the cross and resurrection point to a hope beyond our strength to always get it right.
They only thing I can be certain of is that God loved us so much that He sent his only son for our sake.
I pray that we can have hope and live out that hope.
To explore more about who Jesus is and the Christian faith try Alpha Online.
If you can Zoom you can enjoy Alpha. Our next course starts in May.
Find out more at holytrinityredditch.org.uk/courses.
Find out about services in churches over Easter at CTIR.church and holytrinityredditch.org.uk/services.
Canon Rev Paul Lawlor, town centre Chaplain, vicar of St Stephen’s, Redditch
