"God is light"

Dear parents and families,

On Easter Sunday it was wonderful and life-giving to meet new people, and to see so many people I had only met over a Zoom screen. Watching children collect eggs, hearing old friends talk, and feeling the palpable joy on the day of the Resurrection was inspiring. Thank you to those who donated eggs, distributed Easter kits, made my parents feel so welcome, or simply attended our worship service (in-person or virtually). You gave us life again.

I love Easter. I love it more than most holidays combined. Easter is a celebration of God’s unyielding, boundless, miraculous love for us. Easter is a new birth, a new beginning, a new chance at wholeness with God through Christ. The best part about Easter (well, besides the whole resurrection thing…) is that it lasts for 50 days. We can celebrate Jesus’ triumph over death for seven weeks!

In one of the lessons appointed for yesterday, 1 John, we hear the following: “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all” (1:5). I think about that passage often, especially considering how often John mentions light. In the Gospel of John alone, he uses “light” approximately 30 times. I began to wonder some things, and I hope they help guide conversation in your families:

• When Jesus arose from the dead and left the tomb, did the light hurt his eyes? How long do you think it took for Jesus to adjust to the new light of day?
• It is often hard for us to look directly into the light. Do you find that it is hard to look right at God? Why or why not?
• Living things need light to thrive. What happens if you find yourself in the darkness -- literal or metaphorical -- for too long?

As we continue through Eastertide, I encourage you to find the light and BE the light. Often, one leads to the other. This world is so dark that even a flicker of light can make a difference.

In Christ,

Anne Alexis