Today is Resurrection Day

by Jim Hannah

Gospel of Mary 5-7a

Courage by Richard Wagamese, from Embers

            Here I Stand     Jim Hannah©1993

Here I stand, on a new day,

Wondering what life’s all about.

Many questions follow me, they won’t go away,

‘til another day, I need answers, don’t you see?

All alone, on a new day,

This society seems cruel to me.

People hurting, no one cares. If you tow the line,

Then they say you’re fine,

Otherwise you’re not even there…

            Where’s the justice in this?

            Where’s the truth that makes it right?

            Where’s the spirit that I’ve been told,

            Brings great love to light?

Why oh why, on a new day,

Does oppression carry on?

People hate and people fear, So why can’t we,

Just let people be? Spirit, dry another tear…

When oh when, on a new day,

Will we live a different way?

Living great love,  now I sing, and I ask again,

Will we end the pain? Spirit where are your wings?

            Where’s the justice in this?

            Where’s the truth that makes it right?

            Where’s the spirit that I’ve been told,

            Brings great love to light

I wrote that song way back in 1993 – thirty two years ago! At the time it was my response to a world that was too slowly moving towards a more just and compassionate way of being. But for the last twenty-five years I haven’t sung this song, or even thought about it really. Through the last two decades I was seeing movement towards a more loving way of being in the world. But in the last couple of years, and particularly in the last couple of months, I am witnessing greater injustices, rights being withheld, and people being treated badly. The world seems to be devolving where justice, equity and kindness are concerned and that is very troubling.

            And so once again I am singing ‘where’s the justice, where’s the truth, where’s the spirit?’ And everyone I encounter, friend or stranger, are more anxious and fearful of what our future holds. The problem is that as individuals there is very little we can do to change the trajectory of the world we live in. But at the same time, do we really want to be absorbed by fear, anger, frustration, and anxiety which are so debilitating and unhelpful?

            Although a different context, it is not unlike the followers in the gospel reading this morning. They are weeping uncontrollably over the loss of Jesus and although knowing that their work is to continue to work of love in the world as he was doing, they are terrified of facing the same end. Their grief and anxiety has entombed them and the great stone of fear has sealed them in and ultimately sealed their fate unless they do something courageous. It is Mary who knows that the only life-giving way forward is to live from a place of love. “Where you heart is there also is your treasure. So how then shall we choose to live?

How Then Shall I Live?    Jim Hannah©2025

When life seems so uncertain,

When anxious for what’s ahead,

When overwhelmed and fearful,

I ask myself instead…

How then shall I live?    What way shall I be,

To make the most of each day,   That’s given to me?

How then shall I live?    What things can I do,

To bring some love to it all,    To find a way through

When leaders lose compassion,

When countries have lost their way,

When people feel disheartened,

I ask again today…

How then shall I live?    What way shall I be,

To make the most of each day,   That’s given to me?

How then shall I live?    What things can I do,

To bring some love to it all,    To find a way through

            It takes courage to live from a place of love and not to be overwhelmed by fear. In the words of Richard Wagamese, “You can’t test your courage timidly. You have to run through the fire, arms waving, legs pumping and heart beating wildly with the effort of reclaiming something vital, lost, laid aside or just plain forgotten.” No one ever said it would be easy to live with peace and joy central to our days but damn it, do we really want to be overwhelmed day after day by fear? It seems to me that this is the meaning of resurrection. And I’m not talking about resurrection after physical death. That’s for you to decide and not the kind of resurrection I’m talking about today. Rather it is the courage to resurrect one self from the anxiety, the overwhelming uncertainty, the frustration and anger we may feel day to day – to live new life grounded in love.

            Scaredy Squirrel found resurrection by accident. His tree had become his tomb and his emergency kit his stone of safety. He became afraid of everything and his fear was keeping him from living fully and deeply – at least as deeply as a squirrel can live! But when his fear was finally so bad that it actually  plunged him from his tomb he discovered he could fly. He experienced a resurrection of his being. It doesn’t mean he spent every moment now in the unknown, but he made that leap every single day!

The early followers did leave their tombs and learned to fly – even in the face of hostility – to continue the work that Jesus had begun.    And so it seems to me that we also need to learn to fly, metaphorically of course. We need to reach deep into our souls and touch the love that resides there. We need to colour outside the lines. We need to seek justice and truth in our daily encounters. And then in the words of Richard Wagamese, “When you do that, you discover that we shine most brightly in community, the whole bedraggled, worn, frayed and tattered lot of us, bound together forever by a shared courage, a family forged in the heat of earnest struggle." Because, my friends, today is resurrection day….

Resurrection Day     Jim Hannah©2018

                        Many the tombs that darken our days.

                        Many the tombs that take life away.

                        Tombs of indifference, tombs of intolerance,

                        Tombs - tombs of greed and hate and lies,

                        And stones carved of fear...

                        Oh roll them away...

                        Open your heart, open your mind.

                        Move every stone that stands in your way.

                        Let your soul sing, touch the divine.

                        Today's resurrection day.

                        Love will roll each stone, Love will never die.

                        Love will conquer every fear. Love...will make you fly!

                        Open your heart, open your mind.

                        Move every stone that stands in your way.

                        Let your soul sing, touch the divine.

                        Today's resurrection day.

                                                Let each stone be rolled away! Love, Love, Love!

                                                Let your soul be risen today! Love, Love, Love!

                        Open your heart, open your mind.

                        Move every stone that stands in your way.

                        Let your soul sing, touch the divine.

                        Today's resurrection day.

                        Love will give you strength, Love will end all strife.

                        Love will conquer every death. Love...will give you life!

                        Ha - le - lu - jah. Ha - le - lu -ah!

                        Open your heart, open your mind.

                        Move every stone that stands in your way.

                        Let your soul sing, touch the divine.

                        Today's resurrection day.

                                                Let each stone be rolled away! Love, Love, Love!

                                                Let your soul be risen today! Love, Love, Love!

                        Today's resurrection day!

                        Today's resurrection...day!

                                                Ev'ry stone is rolled away!

Here I Stand    (reprise)     Jim Hannah©1993

Here I stand on a new day,

With a spirit breath in me. I am ready,  can I fly?

As I spread my wings, hear my spirit sing.

Come with me you can if you try.

Are we ready, can we fly…