To dance with the joyful

In his Easter sermon, Phil Kniss, senior pastor at Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA. related the story of the two Marys going to the tomb of Jesus and being terrified at finding it empty. Instead of being paralyzed by fear, however, they ran to find Jesus, the source of their light and life. Likewise, we, enveloped in a world of darkness and evil that can many times immobilize us with fear, need to engage our faith by looking for the God of victory, the one promised by the prophets to be "always with us." We need not deny, or defer or disclaim this rampant evil, but rather "name the darkness," but hold it up to the light of Jesus and live in the resurrection hope. This is the opportunity of Easter.