easter . . . again ... and still . . .

 it is easter again!  our orthodox sisters and brothers will gather saturday night for an easter vigil that, at least in the russian orthodox tradition, takes folks from a tomb-like setting in a sanctuary with no pews beginning at about 10:30 pm, out circling around the church building and back into a miraculously transformed sanctuary filled with light and flowers and joy, with the lighting of candles and the joyous singing of 'christ is risen'.

the pictures on my blog this week come from san francisco's saint nicholas church off of church street, just south of market.

for years i attended the easter vigil, and even while in chicagoland during seminary, i was able to attend this high-holy experience.  so this sunday, although not able to attend the saturday night vigil, i have been invited to the sunday celebration.  wha-hoo!  or, perhaps i should say, christ is risen indeed!

while easter still continues to be celebrated in our churches long after easter sunday, i believe it looses some of the festive celebration as time goes on.  we get busy doing whatever it is that we do when all the colored eggs are eaten and the chocolate bunnies have been devoured.  i rather like remembering and living with the fact that every sunday worship is a reminder of the resurrection.

and so in this time of transition for united methodists, both in merced and in santa cruz (as well as all the other pastoral families and communities that are in this time of change), i sort and pack with prayerful awareness that the risen jesus is in my midst.  as i got my car smog-ed and placed my house on the market to be sold in a short sale yesterday, i was constantly aware that i am not in this time alone.  this is a great comfort to me in this process.

i don't start counting events as in 'this is nearly my last communion service', etc; i never have found that very helpful.  i try to be mindful that in whatever moment i am in, doing whatever service or action i am engaged, i am being asked to be fully present.  for, in reality, we don't really get a chance to 'do it again' like doing the scene over until we get it right like in the movies.  i try to let the spirit work in and through me so that god can be fully realized in that moment.

so here we are in this time of easter again ... and still!  every moment is a moment to be fully who we are, as a child of god.  and, perhaps, that is the best gift of all at easter!  a reminder that no matter what, all we have is god.  and that is more than enough!