Alleluia! Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed.
Alleluia! With this wonderful acclamation, we opened the Paschal Season.
Following all the beautiful services of Holy Week, we often overlook the
beautiful worship that comes afterward in Easter Week.
Today is Thursday of Easter Week, and the Collect for today
is:
Almighty and everlasting God, who in the Paschal mystery
hast established the new covenant of reconciliation: Grant that all who have
been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives
what they profess by their faith; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Who
live the and reign the with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen. (’79 BCP)
At the Great Easter Vigil I had the privilege of baptizing
eight people, aged 7 months to 15 years old. In their baptism, the whole church
was reminded of our own baptism and Jesus’ wonderful gift of reconciliation. It
was through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection that we, who accept
Christ as our savior, were saved from the punishment due us for our sins. Jesus
paid the price and ransomed us from sin and death.
The question for us is not: Did Jesus die and rise again on
the third day? No, the question is: How will we respond to a love so immense?!
The Paschal Season’s worship asks us to live lives that
reflect the faith that we profess. My hope and prayer for each and everyone of
us in the Diocese of San Joaquin is that we, and every Christian, will live
lives worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice; that we will rededicate ourselves to Christ
and his teaching, and redouble our efforts to share that love with an aching
world.
I pray you all a very blessed Easter Week!
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