Yesterday, a week after Easter Sunday, church was mostly “back to normal.”  Which is both understandable and unfortunate.  At least with some version of Advent, and the desire to keep the tree up a little bit longer, Christmas gets to feel like a period of time and not just a moment.  As a low-church evangelical, I feel some loss in not getting to sit a little but longer at the empty tomb and its implications.  Nevertheless . . .

The morning prayer readings for the week after Easter Sunday this year were resurrection day readings from across the Gospels.  They were paired with a return to the Old Testament readings from the book of Exodus, picking up with the final plague and the institution of the Passover meal.  And then the New Testament Epistle readings were mostly from 1 Corinthians 15, Paul’s great chapter on the resurrection.  The Monday morning psalm to kick off the week was also well chosen:

¹ The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
² Your throne was established long ago;
you are from all eternity. (Psalm 93, ESV)

So I’m going to linger a little while in this period known as Eastertide (which “technically” ends with Pentecost).  Here’s a clip of my favorite modern Easter song, Christ is Risen by Matt Maher and Mia Fieldes.  I am always grateful when we get to sing it Easter Sunday at church.  It retells the turning point of God’s story and reminds us of our place in it.