Resurrection Season
LIBERATION LECTIONARY ~ Easter Sunday
Resurrecting Community in our bodies.
“We must join with the tens of millions all over the world who see in peace our most sacred responsibility.”
“We ask for nothing that is not right, and herein lies the great power of our demand.” – Paul Robeson
Jesus Mafa
Scripture This Week John 11:23-27
“Your brother will rise again,” Jesus told her. Martha said, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if they die, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she told Him, “I believe You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who comes into the world.”
Lesson
On this day, we begin the season of celebrating the life of the body. Jesus’s victory over death means that there is no hiding place for the sting of suffering. The threat of the grave no longer has power and no longer consumes us with fear. Yet, our daily life is no less involved, and there is still so much work to do to hold on to hope.
How can our bodies be renewed by faith in Jesus when we feel them daily wasting away? When will we know the full resurrection life of God’s eternal presence, not spiritually but physically?
We know that God is close to the hearts of the hurting, and provides a hiding place of comfort which shows and reminds us that while we often feel we are in a tomb, the promise of Resurrection season is that the space of our struggles may in fact be a womb. The resurrection of the body happens not only in the “not yet” that time of eternal life which we cannot timestamp on what we can foresee.
This resurrection season, we are believing in newness for all areas of life. A resurrected community, in physical body, in mind and memory, in structure and government, in the bright and Black powered future. Come build with us this season.
Overcoming Racial inequity would save lives. “The time has come for the healthcare ecosystem to act, individually and collectively, to address historical inequities,”
On Healing the Black Body: "Our mission is to remove the barriers that Black people experience getting access to or staying connected with emotional health care and healing. We do this through education, training, advocacy and the creative arts."
Jesus Mafa
Music & Meditation
Music- Kirk Franklin’s Rebirth Concert - Full Program
Remembrance
In honor of the birthday of Paul Robeson, we meditate on his words this week and guide our prayers through them.
“The talents of an artist, small or great, are God-given. They’ve nothing to do with the private person; they’re nothing to be proud of. They’re a sacred trust. Having been given, I must give. Man shall not live by bread alone, and what the farmer does I must do. I must feed the people – with my songs.” – Paul Robeson
Dear Lord, give us a song to sing. Feed us with your songs of life and freedom. We trust in you. Help us to believe that all the gifts you have given us are part of the divine, sacred trust. Let your Holy Spirit reveal those gifts, and make our purpose known: for renewal in our bodies, for healing in our communities. We know that we do not live by bread alone. Let your resurrection power be bread for our bodies and our spirit.
“I shall take my voice wherever there are those who want to hear the melody of freedom or the words that might inspire hope and courage in the face of fear. My weapons are peaceful, for it is only by peace that peace can be attained. The song of freedom must prevail.” – Paul Robeson
Creator, Redeemer, Friend, make it our mission to bring peace, through protection, renewal, health and rest of Black bodies, through education, training, advocacy and the creative arts. That we would to act, individually and collectively, to address historical inequities, and demand lasting, sustainable change.