Back to Life

But is it the same one?

I had the first Sunday of 2025 off, but this time it was scheduled, unlike last year. Paul and I decided to attend the church we were part of before I got called to pastor Central Baptist, and it was a wonderful decision. The sermon, preached by one of our favorite preachers there, was about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.

True confessions: seminary or not, I’ve never thoroughly learned koinē Greek. But I do know some, and I’m decent with etymology, so I’m not sure why I never paid attention to this: Fr. Len taught us that the Greek word for resurrection, anastasis, literally translates as “against stasis/status quo/death.” I’m not going to beat myself up for not having figured that out before, because I’m pretty sure I just discerned my new word for the year.

Because the thing is, Sunday was the third time I’d been confronted by the Lazarus story in the space of a week, through three different sources and types of media. Prior to that I had been wondering if the word for the year was something huge but nebulous like life. Now I know it’s even huger, but maybe less nebulous: anastasis or (for shorthand, even though the etymology of resurrection is less compelling) resurrection. Life beyond death. Something more than just life. Something supernatural, even.

Last week I posted that Things Are Going to Be Different Around Here from Now On, and I still don’t know exactly what that means, but I really do feel like in the last month some things in and around me that needed to die off have either done so or are in the process of it. And maybe some other things are still going to need to die this year. But it doesn’t feel like death as a finality. Even before I noticed that Lazarus kept coming up, so to speak, I had been noticing the dying and the absolute orientation toward life.

Something is happening with the Pilgrimage this year. I was already anticipating a period of dormancy, but it’s possible it will be coming earlier than I thought. I’m seeking God and clarity and you praying, if you do that. There are a couple of other-people’s-decisions I’m waiting on, and a couple I will need to make after that, and then maybe I’ll be able to understand better myself, and explain better, too. In the meantime, though, this isn’t the end. I’m anticipating resurrection all over the place. I’m looking for it. I’m paying attention. Want to notice it together?