Greetings on this Easter Day as we join with Christians across the globe in thanking God for revealing, through the resurrection of Jesus His Son, His power over injustice, evil, sin and death; that although these vices may seem to prevail in our nation and the world, they will not have the final say in our lives especially when we live in fellowship and communion with God. Easter is that time and season when we especially reflect on God bringing about that great “come back” for His Son, enabling Jesus to be no longer viewed as the victim but rather the victor who was vindicated by way of his resurrection after his brutal crucifixion.
One of the central messages of Easter is that of God saying “Yes” to Jesus fulfilling his purpose of offering God’s gifts of love and eternal life to all, and a definitive “No” to the powers of evil that sought to strip him of his human dignity that first Good Friday on the cross at Calvary. Through Jesus’ resurrection, God declared His pleasure in how Jesus lived his life on this earth, what he did and taught for the sake and well-being of humanity, and how he laid the foundation to the rebuilding of God’s Kingdom of justice and righteousness, obedience and truth, love, mercy and peace here on earth.
However, this Easter season is not only about recalling God’s “Yes” to Jesus. It reemphasizes as well God’s “Yes” to every victory of new life and light that triumphs over death and darkness which He has enabled us to experience through the blood, sweat and tears of those who are now of blessed memory – the apostles, martyrs and activists – who like Jesus, stood up, spoke out, and dedicated their lives for what was right. They lived their God-given purposes at great cost to their lives as they advocated for truth, peace and love, righteousness and justice, human dignity and equality for all. We believe God said “Yes” to them on the day of their departure, raising them to new life with Him in His eternal presence as He did for His Son.
That’s why Easter also encourages us to look forward, to anticipate God’s “Yes” as we seek to live in the hope of a joyful resurrection. Easter allows us to be inspired by Jesus’ life and, by our words and actions of love, to contribute toward what is right and good in our society. Easter invites us to live daily by God’s “Yes” to things that promote truth, honesty, justice, purity, love, human dignity and the well-being of all. It calls us to declare or demonstrate God’s “No” to things that are evil, unjust, false, corrupt, discriminatory, abusive, destructive and dehumanizing. This is the Easter message that we as a people, as a nation, are to affirm. May we anticipate God’s “Yes” as we endeavour always to live victoriously for Him.
On behalf of the Anglican Church of Barbados, I wish you and yours a blessed and joyous Easter.
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