Editorial for Otago Daily Times Easter Saturday 2011

Editorial for Otago Daily Times Easter Saturday 2011

Today, in-between Good Friday and Easter Sunday is a day to pause, reflect and pray. As evidenced by the news reported today and every day , suffering continues to be the experience of millions in our world. We live our lives surrounded by suffering and yet hoping for a better future. The Easter story reminds us that in the midst of suffering and death there is always hope. As we journey through life each station of the Cross can be linked to a station of our soul. We can be surprised by hope even in the midst of death and despair. For our University and Polytechnic Chaplaincy teams the most challenging aspect of our ministry is responding with love and compassion when a student or staff member dies. Sudden, unexpected tragic death forces us to reflect on the deeper significance of life. As we officiate at funerals or memorial services we are challenged to the very core of our being. At such times we offer a distinctive type of spiritual support. Often, even in our supposedly secular society, it is the Church which will provide a funeral service and ongoing pastoral care for grieving people. The Church at its best is a servant community, here to minister to all people not only its own members.
When Jesus died , Matthews gospel tells us that there was a violent earthquake (Matthew 27:51) . Jesus’ death was a very dramatic event. So too was the recent earthquake in Christchurch. The response of the Churches to the Christchurch earthquake continues to be very significant in helping people to recover from earthquake induced trauma. The Salvation Army for example have visited 24,000 homes offering practical support and a listening ear. Lianne Dalziel , Labour MP for Christchurch East and other politicians have expressed gratitude for the practical work being done by members of many Churches and other religious groups. The Church is comprised of a great variety of communities of people, “wounded healers” who may have lost their Church buildings and their own homes, but who are nevertheless willing and available to help others. People who have had their hearts strangely warmed by a gospel which affirms that the power of God’s love is stronger than the power of death. People who believe that God’s love can sustain us through tragedy and its aftermath. People who affirm that nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God. People who know that God’s love is available to us all as a powerful experiential reality flowing to us from the source of all love. Those people who are open to the transforming love of God become channels of compassion in a suffering world, intentionally working alongside all people of goodwill (including people of other faiths) to bring restoration, forgiveness, peace, justice, healing and political change to individuals and whole communities.
In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus we encounter God at work, calling us back, opening the way for us to respond in awe and gratitude to the invitation to share Christ’s compassionate love and resurrection life internationally with all people.
The faith proclaimed by the Christian Church is not an otherworldy faith. We follow a Lord and Saviour who inspires us to “earth” the good news here in Otago, reaching out in love to support all in need. The way of Christ is a journey through suffering and pain to healing, joy and eternal life.
The women who discovered Jesus’ body was no longer in the grave were amazed. What had appeared to be the end, was in fact only the beginning. The death and resurrection of Jesus planted the Christian Church which continues two thousand years later to reach out with compassion and love .
Please take the opportunity this Easter to pray for all who suffer and to let those near and dear to you know how much you love them. Life is precious. We all face many challenges in this life. We need to hear and believe how much we are loved.
In the words of a popular hymn composed by my dear friend Professor Colin Gibson, “He (Jesus ) came singing love, he lived singing love, he died, singing love. He (Jesus) arose in silence. For the love to go on we must make it our song. You and I, be the singers.”