Easter Is All About Life
Rev. Erik Swanson
April 5, 2026
We made it. We walked through Lent, through the wilderness, through Holy Week — with all its tension, sorrow, and reflection — and arrived at Easter. And what strikes me most is this: Easter is what it’s all about. At the core of everything — of faith, of God, of this journey — is life. Not just existence, but vibrant, hopeful, love-filled life. Easter proclaims, again and again, that life has the final word. Even when the world feels overwhelmed by violence, fear, and chaos, the deeper truth is that new life still rises. It always does.
Holy Week’s Purpose
Looking back, I see that everything we walked through had a purpose. Lent invited me to examine my life. Holy Week reminded me that love is not abstract — it’s action, service, humility. Good Friday pushed me to confront the shadows within me that dim the divine light. And the waiting of Holy Saturday taught me to sit in anticipation, trusting that something new was coming. All of it was leading here — to this truth: life, renewed and restored, is the point. The question now is whether I will truly live into that reality.
Easter Is Meant To Be Present and Alive
Easter isn’t just about something that happened long ago. It’s not meant to be a reenactment or a distant historical event. It’s meant to be present, alive, unfolding right now. I sometimes wish for a dramatic moment — an angel rolling away the stone, a sudden transformation that frees me instantly from fear or old patterns. But that’s not how it usually works. My “stones” don’t just disappear. They take effort. I have to push against them, with God’s help. I have to step out of my own tombs — of doubt, fear, and habits that hold me back. And in that process, I’ve come to see that God is right there — encouraging, guiding, nudging me forward.
Shaking Our Foundations
This story reminds me that transformation often involves shaking. The earthquake in the story isn’t just spectacle — it’s a symbol. It tells me that sometimes my foundations need to be shaken for something new to emerge. Old ways must fall away so that new life can take root. Even the symbols of faith point beyond themselves. The cross is not the end; it’s part of the journey. It leads to resurrection — to liberation, to new life.
Life Isn’t About Me But I Am Meant To Be About Life
I’m also reminded that life isn’t about me — but I am meant to be about life. That shift matters. It pulls me out of self-centeredness and into something bigger: a life of connection, purpose, and shared vitality. Easter calls me into that kind of life — not power over others, but power with and for others.
The Spirit Continues And Calls Us Forward
So now I’m left with questions: What new life is calling me forward? What tombs do I need to leave behind? And what awaits me on the other side? I recognize that mix of emotions — fear and joy — that comes with stepping into something new. And yet, there is comfort in knowing that I don’t go alone. The story reminds me that the presence of Christ meets us in ordinary life — not in some distant, mystical place, but right where we are. In the everyday rhythms, that’s where new life unfolds.
Easter also tells me that the Spirit didn’t end with Jesus’ life — it continues. That same Spirit is alive, active, and available to me now. It calls me to love boldly, to challenge injustice, to reach beyond boundaries, and to live fully.
No Tomb Can Hold What God Is Bringing To Life
So what is resurrection? It is the truth that life rises, that love endures, that new beginnings are always possible. It is the assurance that no tomb can hold what God is bringing to life.
So today, I choose to live. To step out. To embrace the life set before me. Not making life about me — but making myself about life.