Copyright © 2026 Women of the ELCA. Reprint permission is granted for use in Women of the ELCA units, clusters/conferences and synodical women’s organizations provided each post is reproduced in its entirety. If you enjoy this resource, Donate Now.
“Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!”
Familiar words this time of year, but sometimes I wonder if we’ve heard the Easter story so many times that it makes it easier to forget that radical message, to forget the “shock and awe” of the resurrection.
For us the resurrection story is a yearly event told in a familiar voice and with the trappings of tradition and routine. But for the disciples the resurrection changed everything! What would our lives look like if we experienced Easter like the disciples? Who might we be as a community of faith if we responded to the resurrection story as if we believed it were really true and that it continues to happen in our world today?
In these days following Easter and before Pentecost, I invite you to consider these questions. Revisit the Easter story with new eyes reliving the surprise ending and reviving your identity as a child of a risen Lord.
This message is excerpted from “Reliving the story” by Jennifer Michael from the April 1, 2024, blog of the Women of the ELCA. Today we commemorate Albrecht Durer, 1528; Matthias Grunewald, 1529; Lucas Cranach, 1553; artists.