The great fifty days of Easter are not a single celebration, but a sacred journey - one that carries us from the wonder of the empty tomb, through the mystery of the Ascension, to the fire and promise of Pentecost.

Easter begins in astonishment. The stone is rolled away, and death no longer has the final word. Yet the risen Christ does not immediately send his followers out into the world. Instead, he lingers. He walks with them, eats with them, speaks peace into their fear. In these early days, the disciples are not yet bold or certain - they are learning again how to recognise Jesus, how to trust that he is truly alive.

This is where the journey begins for us too. Resurrection is not something we grasp all at once. It unfolds slowly, often quietly, as Christ meets us in familiar places and unexpected moments. We begin to notice his presence - not only in extraordinary experiences, but in the ordinary rhythms of life.

Then comes the Ascension - a moment that can feel, at first, like a departure. Jesus is taken from their sight, and the disciples are left looking up into the sky. But this is not abandonment; it is transformation. The risen Christ is no longer bound to one place or time. His presence is no longer limited - it is expanded.

The Ascension teaches us something vital: faith is no longer about holding on to Jesus as he once was, but about trusting where he now is. Christ is with God, and therefore Christ is with us in a deeper, more mysterious way. The question for the disciples - and for us - is no longer “Where is Jesus?” but “How will we live as his body in the world?”

And so the journey turns toward waiting. After the Ascension, the disciples return to Jerusalem - not with despair, but with expectation. They gather, they pray, they wait. This waiting is not empty; it is full of promise. They are being prepared for something they cannot yet see.

Pentecost arrives not as a gentle moment, but as a rushing wind, a burst of flame, a surge of courage. The Spirit comes, and everything changes. Fear gives way to boldness. Silence becomes proclamation. The small, uncertain group becomes a living, breathing community sent into the world. 

This is the movement of the season:

• From encountering the risen Christ (Easter),

• To trusting his unseen presence (Ascension),

• To being filled and sent by his Spirit (Pentecost).

And it is our journey too.

We begin by recognising Christ among us. We learn to trust him even when we cannot see him clearly. And ultimately, we are called not just to follow, but to be his presence in the world - carrying his love, his peace, and his hope into the lives of others.

So in this season, we are invited to ask:
Where have I encountered the risen Christ?
What does it mean to trust him when I cannot see him?
And how is the Spirit calling me to live and speak with courage?

For the story does not end at Pentecost.
It begins there - with us.

Peace and all love – Rev’d Danni