Excerpts from Bishop Mariann’s Easter Sermon at Washington National Cathedral
Those of us called to be followers of Jesus have the extraordinary privilege and responsibility of living a resurrection faith, staking our lives on its assurance that God will meet us in whatever happens and guide us on a path of hope. If we’re looking for a something quick and easy and hugely dramatic, we won’t find it here. Resurrection is a subtle process, one that doesn’t gloss over the hardships we endure. It feels more like a wind shifting, the gradual turning of midnight to dawn, a seed breaking through the muddy earth after a long and frozen winter, a stranger appearing out of nowhere to tell you precisely what you need to hear. Sometimes it feels like a second chance; other times like a new possibility where there was once a closed door.
Resurrection also takes time, a lifetime, in fact, to experience as real. Which is why we celebrate it not only on high days like this one, but also on low days when it’s all we can do to crawl out of bed in the morning and throw on a pair of jeans. Easter is not a day for us, but a way of life. Today is but one day on a long and wondrous journey. After today, followers of Jesus will show up here or in other places of worship next week, and the week after that, and the one after that. In between, we’ll be out living our lives and doing whatever we can to bring good into the world. We’ll march, cook food, read stories to our children, make appointments with our legislators, go to the theatre, listen to glorious music, and work for peace. Resurrection is everywhere, and after today we’ll give thanks for the excuse to throw a great, great party and invite all of you, and then go back to work of living it even when it’s hard and little scary.
Watch the recording (Bishop Mariann begins her sermon around 01:06:50)
