Greetings,
Friends.
This is Mark Gladman,
Also known as Brother Frederick James,
Your friendly neighborhood monk-in-docs,
Welcoming you to another reflection on the I Am Statements of Jesus through the lens of Easter and Lent.
And today we come to our last meditation on Jesus saying,
I am the resurrection in the life.
So as we start today,
I invite you to take a deep breath in and out.
Keep breathing in and out deeply.
Feel the air,
Feel your lungs,
Feel the gift of life itself.
That wind,
That breath,
That Spirit of God that animates you so that you can live fully.
Bring yourself into that sense of settleness and peace.
And we begin.
As we've seen over the last couple of days,
Resurrection is not just something we wait for,
It's something that we live.
Now,
I don't know if you've ever noticed in the story of Lazarus,
But when Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb,
He didn't just restore his life,
He invited him to step forward,
To move and be part of the world again.
You see,
Friend,
Life in Christ is not meant to be hidden,
It's meant to shine.
What does that mean for you?
The mystics teach that resurrection is not only for the soul,
It's not just for ourselves.
Resurrection is for the world around us.
We're told that love changes us so that we can go about the things that need to be done to change the world.
You see,
Resurrection isn't meant to just stop with us,
That we get resurrected and we get brought to life and that everything's hunky-dory from there.
No.
Resurrection life is meant to begin with Christ,
Move through us and into the world.
And so the question I want you to think about is this,
Where is Jesus calling you to bring resurrection?
Where is Jesus calling you to speak hope?
Where is Jesus calling you in your resurrected life to share love?
Just let those questions sit with you for a moment.
Maybe it's in a relationship that needs to be healed.
Maybe it's in a place of injustice where love is needed right now.
Maybe it's in your own heart where you're being called to trust,
To forgive and to begin again.
You are called to God's great renewal,
To be the hands and the feet of Jesus.
The resurrection is happening in you,
Through you,
But wait,
It's also happening beyond you.
And even the smallest act of love participates in that work of resurrection,
Participates in that bringing about God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Don't believe me?
Go to a still pond and find the smallest little pebble that you can,
The smallest little bit of gravel and you drop it on that still water and you see that you will still see ripples appear.
That small little act still creates ripples,
Ripples that move all the way to the edge of the pond,
That reach out to the furthest edges,
Bringing life,
Bringing light and bringing love.
Jesus said,
I am the resurrection and the life.
He didn't say I was or I will be.
He said,
I am,
Now,
Here,
In this breath.
And right now,
Christ is restoring,
Is healing and is renewing.
Right now,
Love is breaking through the darkness in places all around us.
I wonder,
As you ponder these things,
Friend,
What does it mean to live the resurrection today?
What does it mean to let love be the guiding force in your thoughts,
In your words and in your actions?
Resurrection isn't only about overcoming death.
Resurrection is about stepping fully into life,
A life that's filled with grace,
A life that's open to love and a life that reflects the heart of Christ.
I'm just going to stop for a moment and let you rest in that truth.
As we come to the end of today's reflection,
I invite you to breathe in and out as we pray.
Jesus,
Let my life be a reflection of your resurrection.
Help me to bring love where there's brokenness.
Help me to bring hope where there is despair.
And help me to bring light where there is darkness.
And may grace,
Peace and love buoy us,
Strengthen us and give us the courage to do so,
Every step,
Every day.
Amen.
Jesus said,
I am the resurrection and the life.
Friend,
You don't have to wait for resurrection.
All you have to do is live it.
May you find all you need to live it and live it fully today.
And until tomorrow,
Grace and peace be with you.
Amen.
