May 3, 2022

I played golf with my friend Clay last Friday. We stood on the tee box of the 10th hole – a notoriously long and difficult par 3 on this golf course. Clay pulled a 4 iron, commenting that it wasn’t enough club for the hole. His swing and contact were excellent and we watched the ball in flight on an excellent line. It landed just shy of the green and rolled toward the pin placed at the back of the green. It kept rolling until, unbelievably, it disappeared into the hole! Clamorous joy and celebration ensued.

I had absolutely nothing to do with Clay’s ace, yet I experienced the joy as my own -as if I had gotten a hole in one myself! So too with Christ’s resurrection. Paul says, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Colossians 3:1)

You have been raised! Past tense. His victory over death is yours to celebrate.

“ O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (A Collect for Sundays – BCP p. 98)