An Easter faith

By Greg Hughson in Articles

Encountering Jesus in the places special to us

Recently I travelled to Massey University near Palmerston North to be present at the opening of a new $1.2 million University Chaplaincy Centre (Te Waiora) on campus. I was a student at Massey for three years during the 1970's. During this time I was a grateful recipient of University Chaplaincy services, so it was a very special experience for me to return to Massey for this occasion. Sir Paul Reeves, in opening the new centre spoke about the significance of spiritual spaces. He was on his way that day to Taranaki to take part in an event to commemorate 150 years since the land wars began in Taranaki.

As a teenager growing up in Hawera I attended Methodist Church Easter Camps at Rahotu, a small rural township which nestles on the western slopes of Mt Taranaki. The Methodist Church in Rahotu still stands. (My great-grandparents ran a general store in Rahotu during the 1890's) From within the Church worshippers can look through a carefully placed window to the east, out past the cross on the altar table to Mt Taranaki in all her glory. At an early morning service on Easter Day 1970 I knelt with others at the altar rail and "gave my life to Christ" gazing out through the Church window at my mountain. It was a very special and sacred time. I shall be back in Taranaki this Easter-time, 40 years later.

The Easter story tells of the final few days of Jesus' life, his death and his being raised from death by God. When his friends came to the tomb a few days after his death, Jesus was no longer there. The initial response of Jesus' friends was one of fear and confusion. It was only later that they came to realize the spirit of Jesus was still in their midst, and that death could not defeat the good news of God's love which he came to share. As followers of Jesus today, we continue to gaze upon the cross as a central faith symbol.

The Easter season is a time when we can experience the transforming love of God, a love which overcomes death and despair. Traditionally Easter is a time for making commitments and recommitments to God. In the early Church, all baptisms were held at Easter after long and intense preparation. On Easter Sunday, the baptismal candidates would be submerged and symbolically "die", then rise from the baptismal pool, to a new life in relationship with Christ.

At this time of year we can once again hear or read the Easter story. We can imaginatively visit and spiritually indwell the Garden of Gethsemane, Calvary and the empty tomb. When we return to "visit" these sacred spaces, we encounter Jesus. Such a visit does not require an air ticket to the Holy Land. Such a visit requires faith and openness to God. The outcome of such visits will be a greater appreciation of the Easter truth that the power of love is greater than the power of death.

-- Greg Hughson, Otago University Chaplain

This item was first printed as a Connections article in the weekly Parish bulletin for Easter Day, 4th April, 2010.