God is Here and Here to Stay

Rev. Phoebe invites us into a profound meditation on what our lives would be like without the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through a deeply personal encounter with the barrenness of Good Friday, Rev. Phoebe imagines the existential loneliness that would pervade human existence if Jesus had remained in the tomb. The imagery of an empty altar, vacant sanctuary, and extinguished candles becomes a visceral reminder of the darkness we have been saved from. The Gospel passage of the women meeting the risen Christ and receiving the commission to tell others becomes our own calling. We are challenged to recognize that while our feelings of spiritual doubt or abandonment may feel overwhelming, they do not reflect the ultimate truth: God is here and here to stay. This Easter message calls us to move from fear to proclamation, from isolation to community, understanding that the resurrection set in motion an eternal presence of God within and among us that can never be extinguished.