Congregational Responses| What Does Resurrection Mean to Me?

In the most recent issue of The Spire, the church's monthly newsletter, I asked the question, "What does the resurrection mean to you?" and I was delighted to receive several responses!  The meaning of the resurrection changes daily and contextually for me, but as I stated in The Spire, this year the resurrection in my own life seems to be about the weather.  This winter has really gotten me down emotionally, and my heart fills so full of joy when I realize that Spring is coming.

So this is what I wrote in The Spire: 

"I am someone emotionally affected by the weather (we all are to some extent, right?), so I always love that Easter coincides with the start of Spring.  I love this idea that the flowers come out of the ground as Christ comes out of the grave.  When the snow melts, it is as if the stone is rolled away from the grave, and that first little bud will pop out pretty soon.  It sure seems to be taking a while this year!  But just as the disciples didn’t know when Christ would rise again, so we anxiously await the arrival of those little buds."

And I received the following responses.  Please feel free to add more in the comments!  

"Easter Sunday, the resurrection, the spring flowers in the sanctuary, the hymns all give me joy in knowing that the people who I have loved and cherished over my lifetime who have died are truly in heaven, life everlasting, and that gives me joy and peace as I cherish the memories of my parents, grandparents, dear friends, Jill, Pat, Winnie, as well as others who touched my life." -- Julie M.

"When I think of Resurrection the first thing that comes to my mind is that Christ died and then he rose again to have eternal life. The obvious meaning, I guess. It reminds us that all of us will die some day, and then we will have life with him. Volunteering with Hospice patients tells me what awaits them. What a promise!" -- Sue L.

"My first thought: Christ is showing the world the beginning of a never-ending story. And the beat goes on. Next thought is: Love can survive death. And then there is the odd idea that this was a contest from the moment Jesus began His ministry. Could/would he be tempted to defy his Father? The 40 wilderness days were just a brief skirmish, the contest lasted until it was completed at the cross. Jesus won our freedom by willingly becoming the sacrificial lamb, the scapegoat that dies for the sins of all the people, the ceremony well understood by his followers. He freed us from the fear of death, by coming back to tell us death is not the end. If I don't fear death, then I can do many things to express my love. Those are my thoughts now, but wait ten minutes." -- Janis E.

"First, thank you for challenging me to live my faith every week of the year, not just holy week. Like most, my faith has had to mature over the years. Although faith has been very important to me since I was a high school student, it wasn't until my 40's that I put it into practice. About 15 years ago I made a point to attend Good Friday service instead of enjoying a day off from work. The light bulb went on. I finally considered the whole Christian calendar and come to realize it's not about Christmas, it's about Easter. From that point on Easter became the season that I focus on. I made it a point to commit to intense focus of my faith during holy week. That's why I was so upset when I forgot to attend Maundy Thursday service. JESUS DIED ON THE CROSS TO SAVE ME!!! I can't go to church on Good Friday without sobbing. When I get home I spend the rest of the afternoon in reflection. Then, there's Easter Sunday.  WOW." -- Dale B. 

"Christ's resurrection for me is a cornerstone of my faith because it is the ultimate, most radical defiance of our human, 'earthly' existence. It dramatically demonstrates that we, too, can rise above our worldly selves if we follow the path that Jesus has given us through his example and his very life." -- Tim L.