If Jesus has conquered death, and if he is a part of us “in Christ”, and we are a part of him
“the Body of Christ”, then we too can avoid being too afraid of death. Death can take many
forms: death of our human bodies, death of a relationship, death of moving from one place to
another, separation of a particular community and many more. In all of these things Jesus
tells us that life will go on. In time something new will be born in us. What he asks of us is to
have the trust to live through a time of darkness and with hope to wait for “the morning sun.”
When we have shared the grief of loss we are experiencing, we can wait with expectancy for
the new fire of the resurrection. Like the disciples we can say, “Were not our hearts burning
within us as we recognized him in the breaking of the bread.” Suddenly the road ahead of us
is not a dead end but the beginning of way of life and a sense of purpose that God had in
mind for us all along. Our hearts will burn anew. Once again we are able to praise God “for
God’s marvelous deeds.”
• Have you experienced a “death” that eventually led to an awakening of new life?
• What might be “dying in you” now that longs for new life?
• Are you able to have the trust and the time that it takes to bring about new life?
O God, help me recognize the death and resurrection taking place in my life.