Resurrection 2006: Easter, Tucson, Arizona

[Ava] April come she will,
When streams are ripe and swelled with rain
May, she will stay
Resting in my arms again...Paul Simon, 1965

Ava April is a 2 ½ year old Husky mix, finally adopted, and just in time for Easter! Now she lives with seven Husky and Husky mix siblings (even numbers of girls and boys), including Easter Angel, adopted four Easters ago, 2002. In nature's realm plentiful newness happens during spring every year; rivers grow beyond winter's seemingly harsh limits, increasing with water--gestation's essential and necessity of sustenance; spring of the year is when trees and flowers bud, bloom and flourish. Always replete with life, though often at least somewhat concealed, during spring desert habitats extravagantly display abundant glory.

On Easter the Church proclaims,

Love's redeeming work is done!
Where, O Death, is now thy sting!

Sadly, again this year I missed having an opportunity to participate in an Easter Vigil, but Easter morning we worshiped at Casas Adobes United Church of Christ--wonderful music, and preaching I needed to hear.

The Lord went before them in a cloud by day and fire by night. This year I missed keeping Easter's Vigil, but I have intense memories of kindling the new fire at Easter Vigils long past. Possibly you can miss a Cloud by Day, especially if you don't look upward or outward, but Fire blazing amidst night's darkness is unmistakable. Baptized with the HS and with Fire? Baptized into the fire of the cross and into the fire of the constant, unmistakable and irrevocable Divine Presence. Baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire? Immersed in Fire and Spirit? Think about it!