To Walk with Saints and Scholars

Third Sunday of Easter – 04/19/26

“A Growth Mindset” Photo by LKV Walsh

Months ago, we were gifted some firewood that needed time to dry before it could be burned. We stacked it neatly and let it sit. Today, I rounded the corner to find almost every log sprouting and alive with lovely spring leaves. Talk about a growth mindset! The trees are in pieces, and still they have life within them.

This resilience feels to me like rebellion. Living against all odds is one hell of a resurrection! It has me thinking about Jesus and how he spent his ministry defying the conventions of his day, demanding justice and dignifying all who crossed his path. And Easter as a season has me thinking about how we understand his time after the resurrection. Because in pieces, he still had life – real life – within him: walking around quietly, talking to couples on the road, eating with friends and strangers. These are not earth shattering behaviors…unless you are meant to be powerless…unless you are supposed to be dead. Then they are rebellious resilience. Post-resurrection, there was no going after those who caused harm; there was no grandiose reveal and super-stardom to follow. There was only more talking about what matters…more talking about how to love. You know, the life-giving stuff.

So why is it that those who follow Jesus so often talk about HIM instead of talking about what he talked about…the stuff that mattered? You know, the life-giving stuff. And what might be different if instead of recounting the stories of Jesus’ time here, we instead talked nonstop about how we are to love each other, how we are to feed each other, and how we are to walk with each other even when we are in pieces…because life is within us still. Perhaps talking about what Jesus talked about would mean we would wear a lot fewer crosses. Perhaps we’d wear trees of life instead.