Archbishop of Wales Andrew John’s Easter messagem

WE need only turn on our televisions, our radios, any media outlet to see the very real suffering in the world - Afghanistan, Myanmar, Yemen and Ukraine are just some of those war-torn places.

It’s an impossible task at the moment to look at the world, and not feel a sense of dread, of hurt, of chaos, of loss.

Again, this last year Covid has played a huge part in these feelings both at home and all across the world.

We still find ourselves asking if things will ever return to the way they were before the pandemic. These feelings aren’t strange or alien to us at this time of year.

During Holy Week every year we read of the events that lead to Good Friday, where Jesus is nailed to a cross, dies and is buried. Imagine the dread, the hurt, the chaos, the loss those first followers must have felt.

They’d followed this man, seen the miracles, heard his teachings, loved him; only for him to be handed over, beaten, and killed.

What an anti-climax! But this isn’t the end of the story.

We read in St Luke’s Gospel account that on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other women went to anoint Jesus’ body in the tomb, only to find the stone rolled away and no body to be seen.

They’re addressed by two angels who say to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”

We read that they respond to the message and remember Jesus’ words about his death and resurrection. So, they go and tell the other apostles.

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”

It’s easy for us at times like these to forget. To forget that despite the dread, despite the hurt, despite the chaos, despite the loss, what we have in the resurrection of Jesus is a sure and firm basis for hope.

We too, like the women who went to the tomb on that first Easter Day, need to remember that he has risen, that we won’t find Jesus among the dead but among the living.

It is through this new-found hope that we find our world completely ettely and utterly turned upside downd - it gives us a lens and perspective rspective on life. It doesn’t t ignore the hurt, the pain, the hee loss; it tackles them full on knowing wingw there is a way through h with God, irrespective of how bleak, eak, how cold, how dark things may get.

“Why y do you look for the living ng among the dead? add? He is not here, but utu has risen.”

Alleluia! uia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! deed!d

Alleluia! a!!

Have ea most blessed and happy

Easter.