Moderator Richard Bott reflects on Easter, the resurrection

The Right Rev. Dr. Richard Bott, 43rd Moderator of The United Church of Canada
Credit:
The United Church of Canada

Moderator Richard Bott reflects on Easter, the resurrection, as a trumpet call to the church, to the body of Christ, to all Jesus’ disciples, to fantastic actions that bring life—actions that challenge and actions that make deep change.

Watch and listen to this Easter message through this link or on YouTube.

Transcript of Videotaped Message

Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!
Alleluia!
Alleluia, amen!

Hello—I’m Richard Bott, Moderator of The United Church of Canada.

This is a day of joy, a day of celebration! Christ is risen!

With Paul, talking to the Romans, we “know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.”

In a world where death is present all the time; where there is war between nations or people somewhere all the time; where food is wasted at a horrendous rate while elsewhere people are starving; where climate change caused by us, caused by the corporations and economic systems that we have created, is killing off entire species, and threatens to do the same to humankind, the resurrection of Christ says, “No. Death has no dominion.”

The resurrection of Christ says, “Take heart. God’s love can do incredible things.”

But how, now? With a miracle?

Perhaps, but I believe that this time we are the miracle. We are the body of Christ that God is resurrecting. We are the body of Christ who must say with our very lives, “Death has no dominion.”

I think that Easter, the resurrection, is a trumpet call that calls to the church, to the body of Christ, to all Jesus’ disciples—to fantastic actions that bring life. Actions that challenge and actions that make deep change.

Actions that live life in the face of death.

Actions that say to the powers that be, “No! Death has no dominion. The resurrection not only of Christ—but of the Word—is now.”

It’s Easter. It’s a day of incredible actions—God’s, and ours.

Christ is risen!
Christ is risen, indeed!
Alleluia!
Alleluia, amen!