Happy Easter! This is the Second Monday of Easter and with joy we shout: Alleluia, Christ is risen! The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

The Guild of St. Joseph is having a men’s breakfast (they let women in, too) this Saturday, April 13, at the Trinity Centre (off the same parking lot as Holy Trinity Church on the corner of Northern and Great Northern). The breakfast begins at 8:30am. 

Emmaus has lots of events coming up: a pasta supper, Mother’s Day Luncheon, rummage sale, and a painting day with a local artist. Please see the photos below for all of the information you need.

A Short Video Clip from James K. A. Smith to go with the liturgical note (this is less than 2 minutes and will help you know why the liturgy is a passion of mine…especially his very last sentence):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8yobhDBLSQ

A Liturgical Note For You:

The Importance of Water in Easter: Yesterday (Sunday) was the final day of the Octave of Easter but we are still in the Great 50 Days of Easter. The Day of Pentecost is the 50th day of Easter. So…we continue to proclaim Christ is risen with abundant alleluias until, and on, the Day of Pentecost.  On the Day of Pentecost itself, those alleluias are doubled. 

Why are we so happy about Jesus being risen? Because, since Jesus has new life in glory in God’s kingdom, so now do we.  And we are given this amazing gift through the mystery of baptism.  

Water is the most obvious symbol (though not the only symbol) of baptism. In fact, the word baptism comes from a Greek word that means “to plunge.”  If you know your bible at all, as I’m sure you do, you’ll know that you cannot get very far without coming across a reference to water.  From God’s Spirit moving over the waters at the time of creation to Noah and the flood to Jonah and the whale…the life-giving, life-taking images of water overflow from the Hebrew Scriptures and continue into the New Testament as well. 

Jesus gives us a new twist on the thinking of water as the symbol of purification and cleanliness.  When Jesus gets down on his knees and washes his disciples’ feet, water and washing also become for us a symbol of servanthood born of the love we are commanded to have for one another.   

There are so many things to say about water as it is referenced throughout all of the bible – perhaps some that never struck you as important before. In Mark’s Gospel, when Jesus wants his disciples to be able to meet with him to eat the Passover meal, he uses water as a means for them to find their way to the right place. Jesus tells them that, when they go into the city, they will meet a man with a water jar. They are to follow that man to the chosen location (Mark 14:13).  Through the waters of baptism, we, too, are led into the presence of Christ.  

All that being said (and much left unsaid!), I pray that you will see plenty of water flowing into the baptismal font each Sunday of Easter. 

Something you’ll notice in the devotions below: The announcement of the angel, Gabriel, to Mary about her impending pregnancy has been moved from its usual date of March 25 (nine months before Jesus is born). The reason it has been moved is because, this year, it fell during Holy Week. Nothing takes our focus from Jesus in the final events leading to his death and resurrection – not even the happy news of his upcoming birth. 

For Your Devotions:

Monday, April 8 is the Holy Day of the Annunciation of the Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary (transferred from March 25). This is the day that the angel, Gabriel, announced to Mary that God had chosen her to bear the Saviour of the world. Her humble and willing acceptance of this role is also celebrated and is set before us as an example. This date – nine months before Christmas – was in place by the seventh century.  It is interesting to note the differing attitudes toward this day among the various denominations…The Roman Catholic Church views it as a solemn feast in honour of Mary; the Lutheran Church names it a festival.  The Anglican Church calls it a “principal feast” and follows the Orthodox Church in viewing the day not primarily as a feast in honour of Mary but rather of Jesus Christ on the day of his incarnation. For more information, check out For All the Saints, pp.124-5… https://c2892002f453b41e8581-48246336d122ce2b0bccb7a98e224e96.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/ForAlltheSaints.pdf

Tuesday, April 9th is the commemoration of William Law, Priest and Spiritual Leader, died 1761. When William was just 28 years old, his career seemed to be over when it had only just begun. Queen Anne had died without an heir and, when George I took the throne, William refused to swear allegiance and that was that…he had to give up his fellowship at Cambridge University and he could go no “higher” in the Church of England. However, no one could stop him from writing and we are highly indebted to William Law for his contribution to the questions “What is an ethical Christian life?” and “How do we live an ethical Christian life?” His writings “aimed at uncovering shallow devotion and stirring up readers to renewed moral vigor and holiness.”  In his most famous work called A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, Law challenges the average Christian “to wake up from their spiritual stupor and apply all their energy to the holy life.” He gives examples that hit close to home…”I’d say grace if I weren’t in such a hurry” and “I don’t want to miss church but __________ is happening at the same time.” (I’m not pointing fingers…missing church every now and then isn’t what Law was speaking to.  Law was aiming his comments at habitual non-attenders, etc.)  To read more: https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/people/innertravelers/william-law.html

Thursday, April 11th is the commemoration of George Augustus Selwyn, First Missionary Bishop of New Zealand, died in 1878. I just recently had a discussion about how missionaries go about spreading the gospel…Sometimes they are just as interested in spreading their culture. But, George Selwyn worked to give all people an equal voice (in their own language and in their own way). This is evident in his work as Bishop of New Zealand in a different culture but also in his work closer to home with the poor, the homeless, the working class, the lay people…he worked to give everyone a voice. To read more, go to p.142:  https://c2892002f453b41e8581-48246336d122ce2b0bccb7a98e224e96.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/ForAlltheSaints.pdf

In the joy of the risen Christ,

Susan

Sorry this one is sideways – I couldn’t find any tool for rotating it.