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A Contemporary Story: Rani Remembers
Rani stood at the window and gazed at the bush. It was Easter Sunday. The sun had risen about an hour ago. There was a stillness in the air. Colin and the children were asleep. It was too early for breakfast before they left for the Church. From deep within her Rani recalled memories of another Easter morning in her country of birth. Sri Lanka. Her body tensed as she recalled the massacre that Easter morning when over two hundred men, women and children were killed. If she had left her parent’s home 30 minutes earlier to meet with friends in one of the hotels that was bombed, she might have been a victim of the terrorist attack too. She shivered as memories and ‘what ifs’ made her wonder why she had been late that morning. What if she had been on time? Was it God’s will that she was late? She had asked herself such questions so many times
As she continued to look out at the bush Rani’s thoughts wandered to the year when bush fires had gone through her town. She remembered the burnt remains of houses and gardens. The smell of smoke when gum trees exploded and flames turning the sky red. She thought of two families she knew whose homes had been destroyed in the fire. She had tried to pray for them but couldn’t find the right words. Why was her house spared while other houses were destroyed? She had no answers, only the screech of birds as they had flown frantically out from the burning bush.
Her daughter’s voice called out “Mum has the Easter bunny come?”
Rani’s day had begun. A few hours later Colin and Rani were in church with their children. As she greeted friends and sat in their regular place she quietened her thoughts and tried to concentrate on the music, the singing and the prayers. But in her mind were flashes from burning bush fires, running with her children to the evacuation centre, the sound of fire engines and ambulances. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate, while trying not to remember the dead and dying in the terrorist attack on another Easter Sunday. She wondered if there was life after death. She heard the Gospel being read. The familiar passage of Mary Magdalene seeing a risen Jesus and crying “He is alive”.
The Service of Worship ended. As she walked out with her family she carried her memories and questions with her. She thanked God silently that her family had survived that bush fire and that her neighbourhood had been restored. She was thankful that her family and friends in Sri Lanka were safe from anxiety and fear. She wondered if the events of the resurrection of Jesus was a beautiful story that she believed. Or was it an event that thousands of years later gave her hope for the future? Rani knew that Jesus’ tomb was empty and that she had faith in a risen Christ.
Rani returned home and began laying their table for the special family lunch on Easter Sunday. She was thankful.
Pray:
God you showed yourself to us in Jesus Christ. Even though I cannot see it yet, give me hope for life after life because Jesus lives.