Easter Reflection
While much of the imagery of Easter involves eggs, new born chicks or flowers, it only takes two simple words get to the heart of what Easter is all about and they are the Hebrew words Hallelujah and Shalom.
The word Hallelujah means “Praise the Lord”. It is found mostly in the Book of Psalms which is the prayer book of the Bible. In the Bible an awareness of who God is and what God does always ends up with a desire to sing God’s praise – its way of saying thanks. Thanks for listening, for healing, for helping, for forgiving, for just being there, for beauty and wonder and for all that is good.
At Easter we gather together all those reasons for thanking and praising God as we reflect on the resurrection of Jesus. In this event, which goes beyond our understanding, God has acted to bring to an end everything that would keep us from knowing our dignity. The darkness of the Cross on Good Friday gives way to the new dawn on Easter Sunday. This is God’s resounding “YES” to life being lived to the full and no darkness will overcome it.
So it is not surprising that Jesus’ first words to his disciples who cannot bring themselves to believe it is “shalom”. This word means much more than peace, it includes harmony and wholeness and it is a gift of the risen Lord to all who are willing to open their hearts to receive it. Easter is therefore a time for hope and it is worth reminding ourselves that it is not just one day in the year – it’s a way of looking at the world. Maybe that’s why in the Church’s year the season of Easter lasts right up to Pentecost, 50 days later. That gives us plenty of time to think and pray about it!!!
Psalm 146
Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Do not put your trust in earthly rulers, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
Happy are those whose help is the God of our ancestors, whose hope is in the Lord their God,
who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever, your God, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!
