{"id":211,"date":"2025-04-21T13:33:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-21T13:33:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inside.luthersem.edu\/deanofthechapel\/?p=211"},"modified":"2025-04-21T13:33:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-21T13:33:07","slug":"christ-is-risen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inside.luthersem.edu\/deanofthechapel\/2025\/04\/21\/christ-is-risen\/","title":{"rendered":"Christ is Risen!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I woke this morning to experience mixed emotions. My intent was to rejoice in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the returning of students to the regular flow of Seminary life. I will do that in a moment. However, while going about my morning routine I saw the news that Pope Francis died early this morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We pause to grieve and give thanks for the life and work of Pope Francis…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a good reminder that death is not the end of our journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"resurrection<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is the season when we begin each worship service proclaiming, “Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Easter is the day that makes all the pain and suffering of the past week make sense. Creator God, through the incarnation of Jesus, entered into the violence and suffering that we created. Jesus stood in solidarity with the outcast and oppressed. He absorbed the injustice and did not retaliate with violence. As he died, he forgave those who killed him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That would be a tragic story if it ended there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus\u2019 death on the cross was God\u2019s resounding \u201cNO!\u201d<\/strong> to the corruption and violence of the systems that humans have created that distort the original vision of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus came out of the grave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus\u2019 resurrection is God\u2019s resounding \u201cYES!\u201d<\/strong> to LIFE and new beginnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not too late. It is never too late. God\u2019s CHESED\u2013steadfast, unfailing love\u2013will call us to new life again, and again, and again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think Pope Francis tried to model that hope in his life and ministry. Rest in peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This Week in chapel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All chapel events are at 11:00am<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n