Anastasis (Anastasis) is the Greek word meaning, ‘rise’ or ‘resurrection’, interpreted in some circles as ‘To stand against, or in the face of, death’. This is the Jesus of Easter . . . the One who ‘stands’ against, and in the face of, death. This is the Jesus of my faith. This is the Jesus who causes me to sing and teaches me a new dance. This is the Jesus of Hope and Anticipation. This is the Jesus of little boys whistling a tune while walking down a dirt road. This is the Jesus of little girls jumping rope to the beat of a well-worn ditty. This is the Jesus of the old man who prays over his daily bread . . . and of the old woman who laughs at the wonderful blueness of the sky. This is the Jesus who is the Son of God declaring ‘Life!’ in the midst of a world that teaches death. This is the Jesus the Church is birthed and called to proclaim. Anastasis ~ Resurrected!

A really good friend and faithful servant of the Church last week reminded me of that wonderful Greek word in an e-mail he sent. Anastasis, he said, “To stand against death” is at the heart of who we are and who we are called to be . . . even in the most difficult and hard to understand places. Easter is what sets us apart from the world: The anastasis of Jesus, the resurrection of the One who was dead, resurrects us from who we were before Jesus had complete control of our lives . . . and when we consider tearing our lives from out of His hands, we risk rolling the stone of the tomb back into place and spitting on the notion of anastasis.

So, this Easter I pray for you, ‘Anastasis!’ Resurrection!

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when life deals you a blow from which you think you will not recover.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when a choice you have made does not lead in the way you thought it might.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when a sister or brother is in need of your support when faced with injustice.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when the church is no more than an institution and Sunday just another day.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when others would chide you into believing that time taken to pray, sing, and worship is time taken away from profit.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when the desire to succeed tempts you to do so at the expense of another.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when you are encouraged to turn your back on those needs which always seem to get priority treatment over your dreams.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in talking to your children about the use of drugs and associating with those who deal them.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in caring for the one who shares your life, your dreams, and your hopes with you.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in articulating the mission of the Church as it regards affordable healthcare for all.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in discerning an appropriate response to those who believe ‘The bigger the arsenal, the greater the peace.’

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in reaching out to a neighbor and inviting them into a relationship with Jesus by simply showing them the care that Jesus shows you.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when you are tempted to cheat another out of a few cents just to be able to say, ‘I’ve won!’

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in extending the abundance of your resources to help those whose lives have been destroyed in Indonesia.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in holding in prayer every family who has ever had to make hard decisions about life-support machines and the life of a loved one.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when the government which is of the people, by the people, and for the people, threatens to be government in spite of the people.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death in providing support for job skills training, giving sisters and brothers pride in productivity and earning capacity.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when others do not see the world as you do ~ and you feel threatened and misunderstood.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when deciding how your blessings will be shared . . . and Who is first to receive of your gratitude and faith.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when you are placed in a position of power and authority and are tempted to exercise such for your own gain or status.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when hopelessness overwhelms you and darkness covers you and the valley of the shadow of death seems so near.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when your pride will not let you see beyond your face and tradition binds you to a day gone by.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when resentment towards others who are different leads you to take stands that you otherwise would proclaim as wrong.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when you look at a child, even your own children, and see anything less than the wonder that God created them to be.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when others would try to teach your children prejudice, bigotry, and hatred ~ which are all ‘learned’ behaviors.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when deciding how to work with those who are dependent upon your good will.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when those around you holler ‘Crucify’ when all you want to do is be faithful to God.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when others in whom you have faith turn on you and show themselves to be guided by their own politics and agendas for success.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death when what you feel called to do is determined by others not to be what you will do.

I pray for you to ‘Stand!’ with Jesus in the face of death and have faith: pure, simple, unadulterated, deeply held and passionately nurtured ~ for if there is any truth in anastasis, any conviction of a stone rolled away, any hope for the days ahead, it is in standing with Jesus, the Resurrected One, the first-born of the dead. Stand against death in any form and you will be standing with Jesus. Anastasis

Have a blessed Easter Season!