Rise Again

Happy Easter!

I have so many memories of Easter as a child, especially being a Catholic school student from kindergarten through 8th grade.

I don't think I truly understood the importance of Easter as a child. In all honesty it seemed quite impossible to me that a person could rise from the dead.

I know that faith is belief without proof and as a child I was able to tell the story of Easter as well as find the comfort in the idea that someone could rise again, but there was always a part of me that knew I had technically never seen someone die and then rise again. I listened too literally, missing the message.

As an adult my Easters look different than they did as a child. I know longer spend Easter morning in church. It's not that I don't believe, I just struggle with the construct of church.

While I may not be sitting in church this morning, my faith and belief that miracles happen and that people can rise again has never been stronger.

There have been times in my life where I have felt dead inside. Times where I have felt crucified (not in the literal term). Times where the pain was so great I lay on the floor wondering how and if I would ever get back up.

Even if I did get up, what would be left of me?

So often we live life assuming that all is good. We are one of the lucky few that won't have to face that pain. We instead take comfort in the idea that we won't need to rise.

But....

At some point in your life you will. You will feel pain you never thought you existed, pain that steals your breathe and at times your will to go on.

Suddenly, the story you heard as a child will remind you that you too can and will rise again; that you were given the miracle of this life to live to the fullest, pain and all.

I pray that on this Easter that, no matter what you are facing, you know that even if you don't think you can, you will rise.