On Easter Sunday, our Book of Common Worship offers this prayer of adoration:
Glory to you, O God: you have won victory over death, raising Jesus from the grave and giving us eternal life. Glory to you, O Christ: for us and for our salvation you overcame death and opened the gate to everlasting life. Glory to you, O Holy Spirit: you lead us into the truth. Glory to you, O Blessed Trinity, now and forever. Amen.
On Easter and for several weeks thereafter, we re-tell the story of Christ’s resurrection. We sing hymns about the victory of life over death, hope over despair. The Lenten refrains of “Lord in your mercy” are replaced with joyful “Alleluias.” And even if we cannot fill the pews on Easter morning, we have memories of organ, brass, and robed choir members grandly processing down the center aisle to “Jesus Christ is Risen Today.”
But must the words of Easter be restricted to our church worship services? On the Monday after Easter, what conversations might emerge if we mention to someone on the street about Jesus’ resurrection from the grave giving all of us lasting hope? Can you imagine sharing with a friend how the Easter season is a comforting reminder that God’s Holy Spirit leads us (individually, nationally, globally) into all truth? If we’re honest, using Easter language outside the church walls can be tricky. Many people of faith, and people who question faith, have sincere doubts about the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Strangers and acquaintances we might meet may well wonder how we are defining truth (even “Holy Spirit led truth”) in this persistent season of divisions and distrust.
Easter talk outside church walls is definitely challenging, unless you remember one key concept. Jesus wasn’t resurrected from the dead to make one day special. The victory over sin, death and despair wasn’t won so that a special anniversary can be added to the worship calendars of churches the world over. And ultimately, the point of Christianity is not to focus attention on ourselves as believers in distinction to everyone else outside our church walls. No, Easter opens our eyes to how every day is special. Christ’s victory has much less to do with us and much more to do with everyone else. Easter doesn’t tell us much about religion; it tells us about everything else in the world.
The language of faith isn’t designed to just talk about a few “religious” things. It is meant to talk about everything that exists—life, death, community, justice, suffering, fear, hope, love. Easter reminds us that every time we try to contain “faith language” to church settings, Christ bursts forth from our liturgical tombs and sanctified sepulchers and shines resurrection light onto the streets and communities in which we live. Every time we feel hesitant to talk about holy resurrections, Christ shakes us and directs our conversations to the countless mundane-yet-miraculous resurrections happening every day: returning citizens starting over after prison, former addicts finding healing, souls and bodies abused in relationships discovering safety and healing love, national policies shifting away from racism and inequity to fresh commitments to serve the common good. So boldy offer the Easter prayer of adoration on Easter Sunday and every day of the year!
—Randy Bush