I love this season- the season of spring and Easter- both are reminders to us of hope and renewal. There are signs of new life all around us- grass starts to turn greener, leaves begin to show up on trees and beautiful flowers in various colors adorn the ground. The season of Easter is felt all around ‘celebrating all the ways in which resurrection is possible in our lives.’ In the Eastertide this is what we are exploring, as some of you have already experienced, if you were in worship last Sunday.

I don’t know you but it feels really weird preparing for a celebration for Easter, when we know so many people are still living their Good Friday lives. The people in Gaza have no resources and the senseless killing of Palestinians continues. Hundreds of asylum seekers in our neighborhoods continue to struggle to find food, housing and other basic necessities. Syria, Haiti, Ukraine and Afghanistan are few of other countries where life is challenging. All this seems the same as the first resurrection experience- when folk were living in fear of the Roman empire. Those who had been with Jesus were afraid to accept the same because they knew their lives were in danger also. They could be next! 

Beloveds I am watching the snow fall gently to the ground and cover the grass with white fluff, but it is unable to cover the ground! The green and the tiny purple wildflowers are peeking through the snow reminding me of the cycle of life, and of the liturgical season we are in. This Sunday, March 24th,  we celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem with people celebrating, singing and waving palm branches as we relive that celebration with Palms!