Love Wins

It is Easter Sunday morning and those words - LOVE WINS - came to me as I watched the "Sonrise Service" led by John Romig.  Afterward I watched on facebook the Columbus Symphonies rendition of the "Hallelujah Chorus" by musicians performing at home together.

Love wins means that the forces of division and death do not have the last word.
Love wins means that as we sit isolated in our homes - we do not have to be isolated in our hearts and in our interactions.
Love wins means that there is a power that is greater than us  - and greater than corona virus - bringing healing and love into this world.
Love wins means that Jesus - who was the Son of God, who was God incarnate - could not be defeated and continues to lead and companion all of us.
Love wins means light in the darkness, hope in the midst of despair, and love and grace despite the forces of hate and judgment.

Love wins.

So, I will read the New York Times this morning, watch a service online connected to my friends at Gender Road Christian Church, enjoy Easter Lunch with Audrey, Melanie and Erin through zoom.

I will walk outside and enjoy the beauty of spring and trust that all will be well.  God is here and bringing us together in new ways and changing us in ways that will be revealed over time as healthy and transformative.

This pandemic is by no means the will of God - but the power of God's love and grace will bring new life in ways we cannot imagine.

For me the word I would always use for Easter is "Surprise".
 The women went to the tomb in faith to tend to a lifeless body.  Surprise - that body was gone and not only that but Jesus was alive.  Surprise!
I listen to friends and pundits about what this time of social distancing is doing or going to do and I truly believe we don't know.  We can't know because we are in the middle of it all.
 And my faith tells me that there will be a series of surprises.  God will use this for good, for healing, for new life.  Surprise is coming.

Love wins.

Always.

Here is a wonderful prayer by Ted Loder

"I Praise You for this Resurrection Madness" (Ted Loder)

Lord of such amazing surprises

    to put a catch in my breath and wings on my heart,

I praise you

    for this joy, too great for words,

        but not for tears and songs and sharing;

    for this mercy that blots out my betrayals and bids me begin again,

        to limp on, 

        to hop-skip-and-jump on,

        to mend what is broken in and around me,

        and to forgive the breakers;

    for this YES to life and laughter,

        to love and lovers, 

        and to my unwinding self;

    for this kingdom unleashed in me and I in it forever,

        and no dead ends to growing,

           to choices,

           to chances,

           to calls to be just;

    no dead ends to living,

            to making peace,

            to dreaming dreams,

            to being glad of heart;

    for this resurrection madness which is wiser than I

        and in which I see how great you are,

        how full of grace.

Alleluia!