What does Easter feel like?
- Happy, calm, hearts are lifting, exciting
- In our Bible stories about Easter - the Marys at the tomb, Thomas, the road to Emmaus - Easter feels like excitement, fear, "hearts burning within us"
Sometimes feeling Easter is hard.
- Cleopas and his friends didn't feel Easter right away. They walked with their heads down, they were confused, they were sad.
- Lots of people (adults) find it hard to feel Easter right now.
Why might it be hard to feel Easter?
- Sadness is a very strong feeling. Fear is strong.
- Because we don't always recognize Easter, because it's something new!
- When a butterfly lands on your hand, how do you feel?
- Do you feel the same way if a caterpillar suddenly landed on your arm?
- They are the same thing, but we don't automatically recognize that a caterpillar is also a butterfly.
- If I give you a cup of flour, would you be excited?
- What about if I gave you some cookies?
- They are the same thing, but we can't always see what the flour is going to be, so it can hard to be excited.
Sometimes we need help to feel Easter. God helps us to feel Easter when it's hard.
- In the story for today, when did the disciples first recognize that Jesus was risen and feel it?
- When he broke bread with them.
- When do we "break bread" in the church?
- In Holy Communion.
- God has given us Holy Communion as a way to help us feel Easter when it's hard to.
Easter has happened no matter what we feel. It is Easter right now, even if we are not feeling excited, but we are feeling tired, or overwhelmed, or sad, or scared, or angry.
In times when you don't feel Easter, know that God will help you feel it eventually, just like God helped the disciples, and the women at the tomb, and Thomas, because God gives you Communion.
Thanks be to God!
Let us pray:
Dear God,
Thank you for Easter.
Thank you for Jesus and his new life.
Help us to feel Easter when we can't.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment