During this Holy week of 2017, a number of friends and relatives, realizing that I was away, called me and said they were sad ‘I missed Easter’. This got me thinking: “what does it mean to miss Easter?” Essentially it means to be forsaken from the grace of our resurrected Christ.
This is not what people meant of course. What people meant was that they were sad I was ‘missing’ from community and their lives this Easter.
Friends, consider this: we can miss Easter, even while sitting in the Easter Sunday service or be unable to experience the profuse joy that it brings. John 20: 19-29 talks about a disciple who missed that first Easter. When Jesus rose from the dead, He met His disciples who were hiding in fear. He blessed them and commanded them to testify to His resurrection, evangelize the world and make disciples. But Thomas was absent; he missed the moment and refused to believe until he touched Jesus’ wounds. When Jesus shows him the truth; he calls out, “My  Lord, and My God!!”
This is the strongest claim of Christ’s divinity and the creed of the Early Church. Thomas was the disciple whose obedience, meant that the Sub Continent, South Asia and as far as Central Asia was influenced by the Gospel he brought to them.
The Good News is the good news of Jesus’ resurrection, the divine plan of salvation and its message. When this is reaches you and you respond in submission, Easter is celebrated. I pray that this Easter you are able to meet the risen and glorified Jesus. Like Thomas, may you confess and surrender to Him; accepting Him as your Lord and your God.
God be with you and bless you. Amen.

Rt. Rev. Dr Azad Marshall

By Rt. Rev. Dr Azad Marshall | April 17th, 2017