In the Spring of 1982, the theme of the MYP Teen Retreat was: “We Are An Easter People Called To Be Disciples of the Risen Christ.” This retreat happened two years before I joined the team, but I remember Joe Roach reminding me and the MYP teens that we are Easter people. What does that mean?
People often criticize AI for many reasons—but I admit that I use it often. So, ChatGBT says Easter People “refers to Christians who live with the hope, joy, and conviction of Jesus’ resurrection, aiming to embody His life, death, and resurrection in their daily actions. It means viewing Easter as a way of life, not just a single day, focusing on forgiveness, love, and living as ‘Alleluia’ people in a broken world.” I love this explanation. I find myself in this world as trying to be more hopeful & more joyful. But the conviction of Jesus’s resurrection is something I take for granted. This year, it seemed I moved through Lent very quickly—and it got me to Holy Week that gave me several moments of pause & reflection.
We now are in Easter season—50 days to make this resurrection a constant experience rather than a passing event (ChatGBT again). Jesus’s resurrection proved God’s love for me. It says there are second chances, opportunities for forgiveness. It creates opportunities to show love to others. It’s a time for me to bring peace.
How about you? With me, we are Easter people together as we navigate through Eastertide (ChatGBT again). How will you celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, as these days lead to the coming of the Holy Spirit?