Recognizing Jesus Amidst the Turmoil of Life: Part 2

Recognizing & Reflecting God when He Comes to Us

Unlike the followers that first Eastertide day, we hold a retrospective view of the resurrection, so we know that Jesus joins us when we are on our Emmaus walks. As promised, he does not leave us orphaned. He is always with us & continues to bless us with the indwelling Holy Spirit so that we are empowered to serve as His voice, hands & feet spreading His word & feeding His people.

The question for us, not only as we journey through the grief, fear, doubt, confusion & cautious hope of these tumultuous pandemic days, but throughout all of our days is; do we recognize & receive the gift of the Living Christ when He comes to us & then empowered by our faith & the indwelling Holy Spirit; do we  reflect His love outward? It is in the receiving & reflecting of the living Christ that our own healing lies.

In this season of new life, we are blessed with many reminders of our Creator’s presence: through the written Word of God, through gifts of creation & through the multiple gifts of love extended to one another in particular in these fear laden days of the pandemic. There are signs of His Holy presence all around us: in the trees coming back to life, in the flowers, & the nesting & singing of the birds. In soaring hawks & eagles, in the caterpillars transformed into butterflies, & in the increased light of day. God is present in all of life. Additionally, amidst all the death, fear & despair of this pandemic, God’s presence has been reflected to us through all the many people who have stepped forward to reach out to one another in the caring, compassionate ways of our Living Lord, risking their own lives to help others in their suffering & their healing. It is in the recognition, receiving & reflecting of the living Christ that our faith, hope & healing lies. The Easter story invites each of us to live in the sure & certain hope of the Resurrection. As tumultuous as life can be at times, as we recognize & receive the gift of Jesus walking among us, we can never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. It is in that reality that God’s peace & healing lies.

"Because He Lives"

God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus. He came to love, heal, & forgive;

He lived & died to buy my pardon, an empty grace is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives I can face tomorrow,

Because He lives all fear is gone;

Because I know He holds the future & life is worth the living just because He lives

How sweet to hold a new-born baby, And feel the pride & joy he gives;

But greater still the calm assurance, This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

~Posted by Rev Kathryn Bindig, MDiv. MS; Pastoral Care Minister with assistance from Rich Muscatello; Director of Business Development & Strategy