This week we journey and enter into the holiest of Days as we celebrate Passover and Easter. As Christians the Passover of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from death to life is cause for life and hope that gives way to loving. Although our world and nation is in crisis from the deaths of so many in our schools and streets around our nation, and we can name so many who have died, to wars and conflicts from Ukraine to the Sudan as well as violent unrest in Israel and Nicaragua.

Resurrection is about Life and Hope for living in love and respect. The Christian sees in Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem not merely the waving of palms and branches, not merely the shouts of the crowds from HOSANNA TO CRUCIFY Him, but more deliberately and directly Jesus’ own decisive and definitive decision to return to Jerusalem to return the gift that was given to Him by His Father. That gift of life and love that He had with the Father from the beginning. All of the noise the commotion is secondary to Jesus deliberate decision to enter into and embrace the passion so that He might rise and return to the Father.

This Easter is about living and hoping from the power of dedicated love and service to our sisters and brothers. Although the tragic death of 2 year old Taylen Mosley and his mother Pashun Jeffrey, is a reminder that their is still allot of work and spiritual transformation needed, St. Petersburg is a much less violent and deadly city. We as a community came together when we saw the deaths of in our city drop from 33 in 2021 and we took to the streets to say Enough is Enough, we saw a drastic drop to 16 in 2022. Although 1 life lost is to many but together as a resurrection people see a better and safer city.

We must find in our Resurrection celebration, more than just pretty dresses and fancy hats, we must teach. eying the Easter Bunny colored eggs and chocolates that Christ Is Risen and truly lives amongst us, with us and in us. To be an Easter People is to be a Resurrection People that finds in our celebration strength to live and continue to bring hope. Hope that like the progress we see here can be shared not only amongst ourselves, but that we be a living witness of the power lived of the resurrection has changed our community.

We walked the streets of St. Petersburg, we prayed on the side of the roads , we embraced the youth and gave them a place to be themselves, feel loved, safe and cared for. This is what resurrection living looks like. Seeing the huge drop in crime in our own neighborhood, new members joining our church, young people embracing their faith and making a choice for Christ through their own Confirmation. Yes, We cannot forget Davontae Lawson, Zy’Kiquiro Lofton, and the others who have died by domestic violence. Rather, The resurrection of Jesus impels us to courageously live the Gospel by sharing the Good News of God’s power and action in our lives.   To be a Resurrection people of life and hope we must proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ Power and Resurrection.  We ought not be surprised at the unbelief of some nor of the discouragement of others.  The women experienced the same thing.  But rather we must tell our experience of the resurrected Lord.  A Christian who has grown in their faith and has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ can’t but help to share it.   Share his love and power in your lives.