This article was included in the April 2025 edition of the The Paphos Post.

Christ Is Risen: He Is Risen Indeed. Alleluia!

Those words will echo through the world-wide Christian Church on Easter Sunday as we celebrate Jesus’ rising from the dead.  Whilst some people look upon Jesus’ resurrection as a myth, there is a huge amount of credible historical evidence to support the fact that Jesus lived, was crucified and that his body was missing from the tomb after he said he would rise from the dead.

One of the more tangible pieces of evidence of Jesus’ resurrection is the fact that it changed the lives of his followers, who were willing to die themselves rather than deny what they had witnessed.

It is because of this that Holy Week is one of the most significant weeks in the Christian calendar as it tells one of the most compelling stories ever told: God’s story! HIStory! A story that reminds us how: “God so loved the world, He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).”

Sometimes, in the busyness of life, we often find ourselves unable to find time to remind ourselves about God’s story of love, mercy and grace. Sometimes, we need to set time aside to slow down, to quiet our hearts and minds, to lay aside our own agenda, and to be available for new experiences. This can be through prayer and quiet reflection. It can be through worship.  It can be through reading the Bible. It can be through attending church (onsite, online or offline!)

May I encourage you to ‘make time’ for God this Easter and journey through Holy Week, from the: Praise of Palm Sunday; Poignancy of Maundy Thursday; Sorrow of Good Friday and the Joy of Celebration on Easter Day.  There is sure to be a church near you where you will be warmly welcomed.

May God’s richest blessing be upon you during these final days of Lent as we prepare to celebrate all that Easter brings.

Paul is the Chaplain to the Anglican Church here in Paphos https://www.paphosanglicanchurch.org/ and he is always willing to meet up for a chat over a coffee or a beer. Paul has a website revPACman.com where he posts regularly, and he can also be found on Facebook, Instagram and X/Twitter.