by Rob Peterson, member of St. John's Grace

Using death and resurrection as metaphor, we might see how there may be many deaths and resurrections occurring throughout our lives. We might see a firing from employment, divorce, failure at school, moving from an old familiar community to a new one, overcoming a bad habit, conquering an addiction and experiencing the death of a loved one as examples

In the recent movie P.S. I Love You, the young husband, while still alive but knowing of his imminent death, writes letters and tapes messages to his wife. He arranges these to be delivered to her over a long period of time after his death. These messages are designed to address her grief, her sorrow and her loss. She is helped by these messages to come out of her depression and grief into new relationships with those others in her life who love her and are concerned about her. She has a resurrection into a new, abundant life. And, she finally finds her passion. In a sense her husband was still with her, his life continued to live in her.

This is how I look at Jesus' resurrection. His life and teaching were so significant in the lives of his followers that their lives were resurrected through knowing and remembering him. He lived in them and we are still heirs of that transforming life. Symbolically, metaphorically, ritually, sacramentally, we partake of him. Through the generations generations of his followers we hear messages from him. He comes alive in us; lives in us. This is the message of Easter, the message of the Holy Eucharist, the message of the Word of God.

In grateful thanksgiving for all that has been dome for us we give back our time, talent, energy and wealth to continue to be able to deliver to the present and future generations the message of resurrection.