3 Easter 2024
Channel: St. Bartholomew's, Livermore
Date: 14/04/2024

Collect:   O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Scripture (1 John 3:2-3):  What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Reflection:  The heart of our Christian faith is death and resurrection.  Today's verses from 1 John tell us something about this wonderful mystery.  When we die and rise again, we rise again in purity.  Another word is perhaps simplicity.  We are at long last living in and breathing the naked truth-nothing more, and nothing less.  And this is our daily calling.  Even in the here and now where the work will always be incomplete, each day we we are called to let the complex web of lies in us die and let rise in its place something that is true, simple, and pure.  Do we dare to ask of ourselves where we are saying what isn't true, omitting what needs to be said, exaggerating, or understating?  Do we dare to let these patterns die and be replaced by a life of fearlessly speaking the whole truth in love to one another?  Do we dare to taste the wild and glorious freedom this provides?  This is the way of death and resurrection.  This is the way of Jesus.