The below exerpt is taken from the Bishop’s article
in the May edition of the Rupert’s Land News.

It is the Risen Christ whose Spirit gathers us together as children of God and empowers us to “have life” – the ability to live in the presence of God and receive all that we were created to enjoy and share.

In the last verse of Chapter 20 of John’s Gospel, the author, referring to the details of Jesus’ life that he’s presented, writes, “These are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”

Clearly, the expectation is that as one reads, ponders and “processes” the contents of the Gospel, one will accept the reality of Jesus as the Anointed One of God. By integrating that reality into one’s self and identifying with Jesus, a person will have a particular kind of life – obviously different, or more, than merely biological life.

A week ago we celebrated The Day of Resurrection or Easter Sunday. For the next several weeks we continue to celebrate the season of Easter and remind our selves about what Jesus’ death, resurrection, ascension and continuing presence really mean for us. But sometimes I worry that the central character of it all isn’t “on stage” in our lives!

The whole point of the two gatherings of Jesus’ disciples, as described in Chapter 20 of John’s Gospel, is to come together in order to experience the presence of the Risen Christ! It is the Risen Christ whose Spirit gathers us together as children of God and empowers us to “have life” – the ability to live in the presence of God and receive all that we were created to enjoy and share.

Just as the Risen Jesus took care to greet each one of his disciples so that they could receive the reality of his resurrection, so now he offers himself to each one of us. Don’t just believe about the new life – live it!

For more articles from The Right Reverend Donald Phillips, Bishop of Rupert’s Land, check the Rupert’s Land News Archives.