By Rev. Dr Katherine Rainger, Senior Chaplain

‘Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is not here, but has risen’ – The Gospel of Luke: 24.5

Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in – Leonard Cohen

In 2013 I spent two weeks on an archaeological dig at Bethsaida in Northern Israel and then a week in Bethlehem, Palestine at a Palestinian Christian conference run by Sabeel.

One of my most vivid memories is walking the Via Dolorosa, also known as The Way of the Cross, in Jerusalem. The 14 stations on the Via Dolorosa follow the path of Jesus as he carried the cross to the place of his crucifixion and burial.

The first station is the site where Jesus was put on trial and then condemned to death. Our guide encouraged us to pray the Lord’s Prayer in our own language and to offer it as a prayer for all who are falsely accused and condemned in our world today. It was very moving as our different languages converged in a prayer for peace and justice.

From terrorism to war and crisis, our world is in turmoil. The people of the Holy Land, a land that holds memory and significance for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, are suffering at an extreme level.

In Holy Week and Easter, we see that God is not removed from the suffering of the world. Jesus is subject to the political powers of the day and the powers of death and destruction. Before rushing to the joy of Easter day, we pause to receive the gift of Holy Saturday, the day between Good Friday and Easter day. It is a time of holy waiting as Jesus is in the tomb and silence descends after the drama, tension, and violence of the previous days.

Grief and waiting give way to joy as the life that Jesus lived is vindicated by God who raises Jesus from the dead. As people of the resurrection, we can live in the knowledge that God will have the final word and that word will be one of peace, love, and justice.

When Jesus appears to his disciples, many of whom abandoned him in his hour of need, his words are words of peace not retribution, “Peace be with you!” (John 20:19).

St Paul explains the Easter mystery as follows: “God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins. And he gave us this message of peace.” (2 Corinthians 5:19). The sacrificial love of Christ provides another way of being in the world, as the forgiveness and mercy that we have received become the template for our relationship with others.

The Compass episode The Narrow Bridge on ABC iView is a powerful example of how understanding can develop in the complexity, devastation and resilience of life in Israel and Palestine. The documentary explores the stories of two fathers: Bassam a Palestinian, and Rami an Israeli. Both fathers have had daughters killed in the conflict. Bassam and Rami are members of an organisation called Bereaved Families for Peace which aims to build a bridge to enable solidarity and co-existence. This work is not easy and faces opposition, and yet the group continues their peace-building work.

Easter will mean different things to each of us. May the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection speak to us afresh this year.

Worship this Easter

Local Anglican churches in Canberra (and those on the coast!) would love to welcome you this Easter.

Holy Covenant Anglican Church, Jamison

All Saints Anglican Church, Ainslie

Radford Reaches Out

Supporting Radford Reaches out is a great way to put faith into action as we learn about and support local, national and international organisations. For more information read the article on Radford Reaches Out in this week's Bulletin or click here.