ACTION
ACTION is at the heart of Eastertide. It starts with the women stepping out in the dark to anoint the body of Jesus and carries on to the proclamation of the Good News at Pentecost.
The message is clear Eastertide is a dynamic time, full new discoveries and developments. That can give it a real buzz. It can seem attractive and exciting, with the potential to change the world.
Yet, living in busy, frenetic times likes ours, I’m aware that “action” can be double edged. We know all to well that it can lead to a restless busyiness than can leave us feeling rootless and unfocussed. That is not the “action” that the resurrection calls us to embrace.
The “action” that Eastertide calls us to embrace is grounded in the recognition of the risen Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This action has an inner and outer aspect. The disciples’ actions grew from a whole range of experiences.
They’ve faced the failure of having run away, having cowered in locked rooms, doubted one another and even their own experience. Having faced this mixed bag of experiences Peter and John are able to return to the community from prison. Then having prayed together they are able to see how to act:
“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to proclaim the word of God boldly.”
Our world desperately needs us to take action that will bring the light of the risen Christ to the people and situations we encounter. It’s action that needs to be grounded in, but not stop with, prayer.
What action is the risen Christ calling you to this Eastertide?