Dear Parishioners:
Happy Easter!
We read in the Gopsel of Matthew in Chapter 26:32 “But after I am raised to life, I will go to Galilee and ahead of you.”
Jesus is the pioneer of our faith. We need to look at him to leard what faith really is-what it means to trust, to believe.
He was on His way to the garden as His life drew to its close when He spoke those words” “I shall go before you into Galilee.”
He was facing death; His mission seemingly cut short abruptly with nothing whatever achieved. Desertion by his own chosen followers was the ultimate failure…not even these believed and were prepared to stake their all on Him.
He stands among the ruins, with not a shred of human hope or assurance, with no sign coming from above, with nothing but the witness of His own heart. Because He is standing, not in His own fragile self, but in the fathomless ocean of the Father’s love, He can forget Himself even as He bends over the brink, staring into the dark depths of the agony awaiting him. His concern is for His friends whem, He foresees, are soon to desert Him shamefully. His concern is to console them, to infuse them with His own faith adn trust.
Yes, He will soon be drinking wine again with them, but then the Kingdom will have come! He will be meeting them in Galilee as of old and yet so differenly! Then they will see Him. They fail now because they do not see Him, have never seen Him; but soon, very soon, they are to see Him and their hearts will be full of joy that will never, never fail.
We need to look at Jesus. And looking at Him we draw a sweet breath of pur forgiveness and the pure hope it brings.
‘You fail me, you let me down, but it doesn’t matter now. the Father put all things right. Trust Him, trust me. Meet me with joy in Galilee.’
Let us receive this spiriutal power and use it wisely for the liberation of all God’s people! Let us make a joyful noise unto the Lord. For there is none like Him who can break the chain of oppression, evil and the grave. He is risen and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaugerered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:12. Who is worthy? Christ is worthy. “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future and life is worthy living just becasue He lives.” I hope we can ask who is worthy? The scriptures tell us that it is the One who is seated on the throne and the Lamb. To them be all blessing and honor and glory and might! Yes, He is worthy! The Risen Christ! The Resurrected One! Praise Him! Praise His Holy Name!
May the Lord continue to do marvelous things. May Your spirit continually fall fresh on us. As the song says “Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me, mold me, melt me, use me fill me. Spirit of the Living God fall afresh on me.”
Let us pray for one another as we prepare for the great feast of Pentecost!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Rev. Michael P. Jacques, S.S.E., V.F.
Pastor
