EASTER

Is Easter just a day of celebration for you?
Or is Easter a time of challenge?
In rising from the dead, Jesus proved forever that justice will win out over the value system of any culture.
In rising to new life, Jesus calls you to the new life of being countercultural: going against the shiny advertisements that seduce you into instant gratification, standing against dishonesty in business dealings or in the quantity and quality of your work.
Being countercultural by speaking out against the smooth‑talking advocates of deceptive and controlling manipulation, questioning political decisions that ignore the poor, the elderly, the unborn, the homeless, the hungry, the unemployed.
Easter is the countercultural feast.
Easter joy will be yours when the death and resurrection of Jesus means your dying to the values of our culture and your rising to live the values of the gospel ‑‑ even if this means the self‑righteous ridicule and rash judging opposition of others, even those closest to you.
Easter is not just a one‑day feast. Easter is a life‑long challenge.
Will you accept the challenge so that you can live the countercultural life Jesus came to give you?

JESUS’ TRANSFORMING RESURRECTION POWER

Is your faith in Jesus’ Resurrection made concrete in your hope and trust in his transforming resurrection power?
What is this transforming resurrection power? How does it work?
Jesus, the risen Lord’s transforming resurrection power is not magic. It is a supernatural power working with your natural abilities and talents just as teaching occurs when students learn.
Jesus’ transforming resurrection power does not work without your cooperative efforts anymore than a car will run without turning on the ignition.
Example: suppose the weight of depression is pulling you down into the swamp of immobilizing despair.
Do you hope and trust in Jesus’ transforming resurrection power enough to find the cause of your depression?
Will you admit this cause and deal with it by changing what needs to be changed.
For instance, a job situation, a relationship, a goal. You don’t have to quit your job or dissolve the relationship or give up on the goal.
Rather you employ Jesus’ transforming resurrection power to make your attitude more positive toward these circumstances by basing your attitude on the gospel values.
Or will you just complain, “I’m so depressed. I don’t know why.” And pop a pill.
Jesus’ transforming resurrection power is always available to aid you in transforming your attitude from negative to positive.
Why not begin this change of attitude right now? Remember: To change your life, change your attitude.

HAPPY EASTER

AN EASTER PERSON

Are you an Easter person?
You are an Easter person if you fervently, sincerely, joyously, hopefully believe that Jesus is not a dead memory but a living presence. If you believe that Jesus is alive in you and in all those around you.
You are an Easter person if you are experiencing what Jesus’ disciples experienced viz., that the life they had known and shared with Jesus was not buried with him but is now alive in them.
You are an Easter person when you cause resurrections in people by your acts of kindness, causing people to rise out of the death of drudgery in their everyday living into the new life of the enthusiasm and happiness of seeing each new day as a fresh adventure.
You are an Easter person when you cause a resurrection in someone who is self-righteous and judgmental by reminding that person that the judgment seat of God belongs to God alone and that those who condemn will be condemned, no matter how pious a pose he or she strikes. In this way you cause that person to rise out of the death of judgmentalism into a new life of compassion.
You are an Easter person when you cause resurrections in those who habitually manipulate others in their relationships by confronting them with the need to be honest with themselves about themselves. In this way you cause them to rise out of superficial and self-centered relationships into loving and caring relationships.
You are an Easter person when you cause a resurrection in someone who is depressed by offering honest words of encouragement but not flattery. You can find some good in that person and affirm that good. In this way you help that person to rise out of the death of depression into a new life of self-confidence.
Why not begin today to make a conscious effort to be an Easter person?