He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart
During this month, we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, more commonly referred to as Easter. Many of us from the local area of the Ritchie & Johnson Funeral Parlor remember singing that hymn in years past at Easter sunrise services where we would worship the resurrection of our savior while literally watching the sun rise amidst the scenic beauty that our West Virginia homeland offers.
Whether we refer to it as Easter Sunday or Resurrection Sunday, it is the most important celebration to a Christian, one which should bring us feelings of victory and great joy. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the very foundation of the Christian faith. Through His death and resurrection, we have the promise of the gift of eternal life if we choose to believe and accept it.
What began as the worst week in the history of mankind culminated in the best day in the history of mankind, the day when death was miraculously defeated. Imagine the astonishment of Mary Magdalene and the other Mary when they came to visit the tomb of Jesus to be greeted by the angel of the Lord who had descended from heaven. He announced to them, “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” [Matthew 28:6]
And the good news does not end there, because of his resurrection, because he lives, our loved ones whom we mourn will live again eternally, our grief, while it seems eternal is temporary. 1 Corinthians 6:14 reminds us, “And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.” And 2 Corinthians 4:14 tells us, “because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.” Try to focus on the fact that we have hope even as we ache for our loved ones. It is not over.
Lastly, as we celebrate the resurrection, we can also celebrate the month of April. Some sources say that the name April is derived from the Latin word aperire meaning “to open” – which could be a reference to the opening or blossoming of flowers and trees, a common occurrence throughout the month of April in the northern hemisphere. Let’s try to open ourselves to the good news of the resurrection this month and to a blossoming of new, positive things in our lives.
The Ritchie & Johnson staff prays that your week and month are blessed and beautiful. We encourage you to email us through our Contact page or call us at (304) 252-4115 if you have questions or need our assistance.