Easter, the most important Christian festival celebrating Jesus’ Resurrection, reminds us of the eternal hope that death does not have the last word on human destiny.

Easter is preceded by Good Friday when Christians believe Jesus Christ was crucified. Besides fasting, praying, and contemplating, Christians also join together in Good Friday Walks of Witness. In Luton, these were held in the Town Centre, Stopsley, Limbury, Leagrave, Bury Park & Beech Hill areas. During these walks, Scripture readings, meditations, and prayers are shared outside different Churches.

At All Saints Church, Anglican Assistant Curate Revd Peter Farquhar shared a reflection on how St Peter, after denying Jesus three times, was following Jesus at a distance on the road to Calvary – the site where Jesus was crucified. Peter must have truly been broken at that point, but later in history Peter goes on to do amazing things and impacts Christianity worldwide. Like St Peter, we might also be following Jesus at a distance, but Revd Farquhar prayed that through God’s love and grace, we might also be enabled to journey closely with Jesus and share God’s love with everyone, whom God has created in His image

At the Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church, the Catholic Dean in Luton, Monsignor Kevin McGinnell reminded how Jesus was mocked by a cohort of 500 soldiers. Imagine, what does that do to be mocked by 500 people, and how much of that is happening in today’s world in different ways to different people. He pointed out that we could also be causing others humiliation by saying the wrong words or thinking about people inaccurately. Mgr McGinnell prayed for forgiveness for the way we can, even without meaning it, humiliate others. He encouraged all to look up to the Cross, which inspires us to stand against the humiliations of the world.

At the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), the Anglican Dean in Luton, Revd Canon David Kesterton, reminded people that rooted in Christ we are the bearers of new life. He prayed that God may help us to believe that endings are but beginnings, and that graves are but doorways to a new life. He prayed - May the joy, hope, and blessings of Easter be upon everyone! AMEN.