Anglican Identity

ANGLICAN IDENTITY Easter messages

COVID . . . War . . . Floods . . . Lord, have mercy. The world is in desperate need of some good news. As Jesus’ ultimate triumph over death and evil which we celebrate at Easter is the greatest of good news. It’s good news that doesn’t make the headlines though, because God is waiting on us to spread and share it. If you read the gospels and their various accounts of the first Easter morning, you’ll notice that they are immediately followed by Jesus sending out or commissioning his disciples to be his continued presence and work in the world. Jesus’ resurrection was the birth of a new stage in the mission of God’s love for the world.

As the New Testament scholar, N T Wright puts it: ‘Christ is risen, God’s new creation has begun, therefore, let’s get to work!’ Easter isn’t just a holiday we enjoy - it is our call to live the good news of Jesus by being agents of peace in a violent world, servants of the poor in a needy world, and glimpses of the divine in an unbelieving world. Christ is Risen . . . Alleluia!

The Most Reverend Kay Goldsworthy AO Archbishop of Perth For the most senior political representative of the Roman occupying power to conclude Jesus was innocent, and for the senior military commander in charge of Jesus’ execution to declare emphatically he was a good man, is astonishing enough. Even more remarkable, however, was the discovery, only two days later, that Jesus was no longer dead, and in fact had been raised from the dead, just as he had predicted. Easter is the time when Christians celebrate these events, not simply as particular anniversaries on Good Friday and Easter Day, but because Christians believe they demonstrate the existence of God and what God is like. A God willing to live in the direst circumstances humans can face, a God who loves and cares for all people, and a God who cannot be defeated, even by the cruellest of circumstances and death.

In all the uncertainty and dislocation of Covid and natural disasters, invasion and war, it is this God in whom Christians put their trust and who inspires us to do all we can to love and support those most affected. The Right Reverend Dr Ian Coutts Bishop of Bunbury Many people welcome the Easter break and see it as an opportunity to get away for the first official break of the year, as it often coincides with the end of first term for schools.

Having time off to recuperate and be energised for the next phase is important. It is, however, during the ‘holiday’ that we experience, commemorate and celebrate the most holy days within the Christian calendar, notably from Palm Sunday to Good Friday and Easter. These holy days tell the story of fear, suffering and death but also resurrection, new life and hope. It tells of people then, but also today, who are looking forward to a change in their situation, where sadness and pain can be transformed into joy and healing. It foreshadows what can be when we allow ourselves to be open to the endless possibilities that God provides for us, as we know that God only wants what is best for us.

This is the Easter Joy that I wish for all of you, as well as for your loved ones and all those whom you might encounter on life’s journey. Enjoy the Easter eggs, the rest and the company of others, but spend time on Good Friday and Easter Day thankfully remembering this very special gift and the hope that God gives us through his son Jesus.

Every blessing, The Right Reverend Clarence E Bester Bishop of Wangaratta

The Anglican Schools Commission Inc. PO Box 2520 Mt Claremont WA 6010 P (08) 9286 0290 F (08) 9384 5023 E info@ascschools.edu.au W www.ascschools.edu.au