REMAIN
Today’s Eastertide word is REMAIN. It’s a call to stillness in the midst of a busy, action packed season. Eastertide is so full of movement and momentum as the disciples discover the resurrection and rush to share its joy and hope.
We see it in Mary Magdalene setting out before dawn, in Peter and John racing each other to the tomb, in the disciples on the road to Emmaus turning round and rushing back to Jerusalem. This carries on in the Acts of the Apostles as the disciples begin to teach, preach and establish their new community.
In today’s gospel Jesus tells the disciples to:
“Remain in my love.”
His words are a call to pause and ground ourselves in the love of the risen Christ. It’s not a call to walk away from preaching, teaching and sharing the good news. Rather, it’s a call to ensure that all of those actions grow out from a time of stillness in the presence of the risen Christ.
That’s not always an easy call to hear especially in a world that values busyness and productivity. We are generally more comfortable being active than we are being still.
Yet, if we desire to embrace the new life the risen Christ promises, we have to learn to be still in his presence. We have to risk letting go of all our activity and busyness, and let his call to new life echo through our hearts.
Where is Christ calling you to be still in his presence this Eastertide?