Easter Monday | Easter Challenges

BY JOCELYN SIDECO | April 22, 2019
Easter Monday
Today’s Readings

During this Easter season, live fuller, more overjoyed, perhaps maybe a little more uncomfortable as you challenge yourself to live and love closer to one another.

  1. Believe in life beyond death: historical Jesus existed, and we are part of a great Christian legacy. This brown man’s example brought healing to segregation and marginalization. He teaches us that people are not the broken ones, our society—our laws, our customs, and the stories we tell our ourselves to maintain our power—is what is broken. Jesus surrendered into our anxieties to show that love and closeness are the antidotes to separation and fear.
  2. Live into vulnerability and follow women of color: not because we are perfect, but because we have the most desire to thrive within a society that dismisses us. We are quick to go to the suffering because we know this all too well. Go there with us. Go there often. Like Mary and the other Mary did the day after the Sabbath, go to the tomb to weep. Be surprised by an earthquake and listen to the instructions on what to do next. Go to the people who have been most hurt, damaged, destroyed by society.
  3. Refuse to be bribed: There are people and organizations who will try to buy your loyalty in order to construct a narrative that maintains their power. If their power brings about radical inclusion and belonging, then this is of God. If their power brings about lies, deceit, and distance from the most marginalized, then this is clearly not of God.
  4. Pray with this Mexican Proverb these 50 days of Easter: They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.

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4 replies
  1. Celeste Bonfanti
    Celeste Bonfanti says:

    Interesting reflection and I love the Mexican proverb.
    The teacher and writer In me needs to point out, you mean “antidotes” (treatments) rather than “anecdotes” (stories) ~ sorry, I really don’t mean to be annoying.

    Reply
    • Jocelyn A. Sideco
      Jocelyn A. Sideco says:

      Ah yes, Celeste! Thanks for catching this error. I’d like to think that the two words are close to a homonym for me, and as a English is my second language, sometimes difficult to differentiate. Yet…strangely enough these antidotes often do come in the form of anecdotes from personal experience. Thanks so much for reading and praying along!

      Reply
  2. Francesca Maria
    Francesca Maria says:

    Thank you for this inspiring call to action. May we all remember that we are an Easter people and Hallelujah is our song. With faith, hope and love for one another, we can…

    Reply

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