Soul Stories So well nourished that we have to share it
HAPPY EASTER!! Jesus is alive and death has been defeated!
Luke 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen".
A few questions to encourage reflection on how we encounter the risen Jesus, the importance of inclusivity in sharing the gospel, and the resilience needed to testify to God’s work, even in the face of doubt.
The risen Jesus as “alive” Luke often emphasises that Jesus is “alive” following the Resurrection. How does this word “alive” resonate differently from simply being “raised”? What does it mean for us today to follow a “living” Jesus?
In Luke’s Gospel, the women are the first to witness and proclaim the Resurrection.
How does their role in sharing the news impact the way we view women’s voices in faith communities today?
How does their resilience inspire us in sharing our faith?
The power of witnessing: The women’s testimonies were dismissed as ‘idle tales’ when in fact they were full of the truth of their experience. We can be tempted to spend our days speaking of ‘idle’ things – like the weather! – but real talk about the deepest aspects of our lives has the power to connect us and change us. With whom might you be willing and able to share about a personal encounter with God? How might experience of speaking and listening to the witness of each other change us?
Jesus is alive and death has been defeated!
Whatever our gender identity, let us follow the example of the women who first proclaimed the good news of Easter! We can each share the message - everyone of us needs to hear it - and to respond for ourselves. Together, we can spread hope and joy, transforming lives through the power of the Resurrection.