Throughout this Easter season, I've often found myself writing some version of the phrase "our lives are caught up in Christ's." This is usually followed by some explanation, like "because we are anointed with the same Spirit he was." It's a similar idea to the ancient Christian theological precept, "We become by grace all that … Continue reading Vine and Branches: A Reflection on John 15.1-8
So far this Easter season, our Sunday Gospels have shown us how the disciples' encounters with Jesus after his resurrection empowered them to take up his mantle and spread his message of repentance and forgiveness around the world. My midweek post this past week picked up this last theme, exploring the ways we've cheapened the … Continue reading In Truth and Action: A Reflection on John 10.11-18 and 1 John 3.16-24
Over the past couple weeks, I've been reading a beautiful essay collection called One Long River of Song, by Brian Doyle, who passed away due to complications from a brain tumor in 2017. One essay that particularly stuck out to me, called "Everyone Thinks That Awful Comes by Itself, But It Doesn't," begins like this: … Continue reading The More Things Change…
The resurrection stories in the New Testament are not big, boisterous stories, shouting the news of the resurrection from the rooftops. Instead, they are tentative stories, involving a lot of uncertainty, questioning, fear, and vulnerability. In that way, they're well-suited for our times. For we too are living in a season of uncertainty and fear, … Continue reading When Jesus Shows Up: A Reflection on John 20.19-31
[This Easter Sunday, I was asked to preach at a virtual family church service. Today's reflection is a tidied up version of my speaking notes.] Good morning and good afternoon, everyone. It's wonderful to be able to gather together like this — albeit virtually — to celebrate the biggest feast of the Christian year. At … Continue reading God’s New Thing: A Reflection for Easter 2021
Matthew Root 