EASTER - MARCH 23, 2008

LENTEN HOPE - PERILS AND PROMISES

"Never Stop Hoping"

Was Jesus' resurrection a fulfillment of his disciples hopes?  In some ways, "yes;" in other ways, "no."  The answer would be "yes" for their early hopes.  Jesus was with them again and they could share in his ongoing ministry.  But, before they had seen the empty tomb, their hope was gone, vanished, crucified along with Jesus.  "No!"  They had no hope left to be fulfilled.

What the resurrection did was to give his followers a new reality.  Jesus now was an abiding, never dying presence.  To be sure, after Ascesion Day they would not actually see Jesus again, but he was still there.

Christian hope has a dimension that nothing can destroy.  If there can be life after death for Jesus, then our hope can be reborn.  We should never stop hoping.  When we have suffered a loss, God come through for us again and again, helping us to find a new way of life.  When some hope is fulfilled, God shows us that even more is possible.  Many people find that recovery from a loss or set-back enables them to start a new life with great confidence.

Perhaps all of this is a reminder that our hope is based on trust.  We can trust the God who give us life and renews our life.  We can also trust in ourselves, coming to realize the strength of our inner resources.  Easter gives us a team:  God as healer and sustainer, our inner selves as having a core of God-given strength that restores, guides, and empowers.  With all of this, surely, we should never stop hoping.  The God who raised Jesus will also free us from whatever may be holding us down and raise us to a life that is fulfilling.