Easter 3a - Conclusion

Easter 3a will take a back seat to Mother’s Day this Sunday but the lessons don’t have to. The roots of Mother’s Day in this country go back to Julia Ward Howe who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic but lamenting the carnage of the War Between the States called for an international Mother’s Day to promote peace and celebrate motherhood. “Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of tears Say firmly: We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, Our husbands shall not come to us reeking of carnage, For caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.” The cause was taken up by Anna Jarvis to fulfill her mother’s dream of a memorial Mother’s day to recognize the role of mothers in the family, church and community as bringers of peace and harmony. The day was born in some ways out of the pain of loss and dedicated to put an end to injustice, violence and hatred. “The promise is for you and your children” is how Peter puts it in his first sermon. Jesus done in by violence and hatred has been resurrected as God’s Messiah, the Prince of Peace. The Psalmist’s lament choked by the cords of death is transformed into thanksgiving because the Lord heard and delivered him from destruction. Loving deeply from the heart is how we endure our time of exile, not in fear and foreboding but in anticipation of the day when the perishable puts on the imperishable. And Cleopas and friend are given a new hope that cannot disappoint when Jesus disappears into bread and “He is risen!” means everything has changed.