Traditionally, the Gospel for the last Sunday of Lent before Palm Sunday recounts the story of the raising of Lazarus - a precursor of what we will experience with the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Resurrection is a core element of our Christian faith and it is one that requires some very definite commitments on our part. If we truly believe that Jesus has been raised from the dead, that he is alive, that he continues to live and work in and through those who believe in him, then we had better not linger too long in the garden, or weep too long at the tomb, or gaze too long at the crucifix. We had better not treat Jesus in our mind, in our prayer or in our attitudes as though he is a dead hero, or an object of theological study. We had better not bury him in history, or just remember his story as a fable or fairy tale.
The Easter story is not only an account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. The story of Easter is also a living, continuing account of humanity striving to rise and live life to the full. The Easter message is not only about the Risen Lord, but also about humanity for whom he had died and been raised to life.
Resurrection takes place in real life situations, with real people. We need only to reflect on the scenes of steadfast courage and determination of the Ukrainian people in the face of oppression to glimpse the seeds of resurrection amid death and destruction.