The pinnacle of the Easter weekend as celebrated by the Church is the Easter Sunday, when we celebrate the miracle of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Sometimes I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of resurrection as I have never seen a person who was dead come back to life, but over the years, as I’ve read the scriptures and the accounts of those who verified this event, I’ve realized that the reality of what I’ve experienced personally (in my relationship to Christ) is actually grounded in a historical event; An event that was confirmed by many witnesses from varied backgrounds and cultures in the second century.

Not only does the resurrection of Christ give me an opportunity to walk and talk with a living Lord (rather than pray at some grave or shrine), the resurrection of Christ Is the promise that at the end of life there is more than a hole in the ground. It confirms that longing suspicion in the heart of humanity: that there is an unseen realm that is the actual reality, of which the visible realm is a shadow. If the cross of Christ is the means by which humanity is forgiven, justified and reconciled to God, the resurrection is the promise and window of how far this reconciliation goes. In the words of Apostle Paul: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

 Death is always an insult to our relationships. It is the end of the friendships and grace we’ve shared with our loved ones. It is a tool of fear used by tyrants, and an enemy that it seems no one can escape, but for those who have seen and experienced the risen Christ in their lives, death is something that no longer has the final say, and the sting of its pain will not be the last word.