Apr: Thoughts from Huw

Dear Friends

We can face anything, endure anything, as long as we know or believe it will not last for ever, and that something better will happen. For instance, people will face a long painful and dangerous operation if they believe it will make them well again. Prisoners can face a long sentence as long as they believe it will end, and that they will enjoy freedom again. We can face the rigours of a long miserable winter because we know that spring will come again. What all this underlines is the importance of hope. Hope is as necessary for the sprit as bread is for the body. It is amazing what the human spirit can endure provided it is nourished by the bread of hope.

Easter provides an enormous injection of hope. How much it is needed. There is a lot of tragedy in life. Good things are destroyed. War in Ukraine, earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, rising knife crime, the list of tragedies goes on and on.

Easter brings hope as Jesus rising from the dead is a sign that God’s love is stronger than death. At Easter we feel the pain of the world, the pain in our families and among our friends, and the pain in our own hearts. But the resurrection brings hope. It doesn’t remove the pain but it lights it up with hope. All is different because Jesus is alive and speaks his words of peace to us as he spoke them to the apostles.

Faith in the resurrection of Jesus is the basis of our hope of eternal life, a hope which enables us to bear patiently the trials of life. It gives us peace in our hearts and minds to know that life is stronger than death, love is stronger than fear and hope is stronger than despair.

At Wesley, we will celebrate Easter Sunday with a service of Holy Communion at 6pm when hopefully we will be joined by friends from other churches.

I look forward to seeing you.
Have a very Happy Easter.

God Bless
Huw