Easter was a great day! We had two wonderful services at Smithville with a lovely breakfast in between … and that is no small matter in a little country church with no kitchen! But the church folks pulled out all the stops and it was a great time of fellowship. I visited with a few members in their homes and had the opportunity to meet many extended family members. It was a great day. I will admit, though, that I was a bit tired when I got home after 8pm.

When I logged onto facebook yesterday morning, I changed my status to “Robin wishes she had an opportunity to be entombed for three days.” When I initially posted it, my thoughts were consumed with catching up on some much-needed rest. However, as I continued to ponder that thought, I realized that many of us are in a constant state of entombment. Enslaved to both internal and external forces, we are scarred and shackled by shame, bound by false expectations of ourselves and others, confined and defined by dashed dreams, foregone failures and painful pasts. In the midst of the joyful Easter celebrations that surround us, we may be overwhelmed and find it difficult to envision new life. But God is present and wants to raise us up with the resurrected Christ.

Holy One,

    Liberator of the oppressed,

    Healer of our every ill,

    And hope of the world,

Break open the tombs in which we have hidden ourselves,

    Remove the stones with which others have confined us

    And breathe into us the breath of new life and resurrection.

    Restore us to wholeness in your presence.

We ask this in the name of the Resurrected One, Jesus Christ. Amen.