Hosanna! Hallelujah! Hosanna in the highest!
Easter joy overflows as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection, filling our hearts and strengthening our faith. As believers we live in the Easter paradox of hope: life has triumphed but death surrounds us; sin is vanquished but its sting still poisons our days.
Every time we offer or are offered forgiveness; every time we experience grace through another; every time we turn from selfishness to self-giving; and every time we reject hate and embrace love, in short, every time we open ourselves more fully to God in Christ, resurrection life through Christ is breathed into us.
Our joy is full for we believe and celebrate the victory of Jesus the Son of God who says,
I am the resurrection and the life.
Those who believe in me, even though they die,
will live,
26 and everyone who lives and believes in me
will never die. (John 11:25 NRSV)
Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ,
there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away;
see, everything has become new!
18 All this is from God,
who reconciled us to himself through Christ,
and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (2Co 5:17 NRSV)
Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed!