The vivid collapse of the Key Bridge in Baltimore in some senses encapsulates the experience of so many people today travelling in their lives’ journey.

Something massive and inexplicable comes along, shakes the foundations and it feels like the whole thing crashes and falls.

On the geopolitical macro scale we watch the horrors of life collapsing in Haiti, in Gaza, continuing in the Ukraine.

But on the micro scale it is children separated from parents, mothers seeking to raise their families in poverty to find something to feed them, even if from the debris and rubbish around them; to loneliness and powerlessness of the aged; the innumerable personal horror stories of people’s lived experience right now.

For some closer to home, the collapse occurs with a health diagnosis, an accident a catastrophic loss.

In a world of chaos and confusion, where the values that our forebears held onto for support crumbling — how can we survive?

It is a well-established truth that where there is hope, resilience to meet the daily challenges and to live purposeful and generous life is enabled. Without hope … well you might as well give up.

If nothing else, the Easter story gives that sense of hope. Who has the last say? For Christians it is Jesus and his resurrection.

Not death, not sorrow, not sin — but the hope of a new beginning, of transformation, of rebuilding, of eternity.

And this hope is grounded not in some philosophy or grand idea — but in the historic reality of a man called Jesus who died to absorb the pain and fracture caused by human failure (which we call sin) who on the third day broke death’s power and every other — by rising to new life — alive, seen and touched.

He continues to inspire and give that living hope today to billions around the globe who will one voice say ‘Alleluia, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia!’

My prayer for your all in this season is to know for the first time or rediscover again the hope that Jesus brings, and to live lives of thankful expectation working towards the day when our hopes are realised — a world which is more just, more fair, more equitable, more loving.

Each day, when we exercise kindness, generosity and give voice to the voiceless we are sharing and giving hope to others and pointing them to the ultimate source of hope — God himself made manifest in the life of our risen saviour.

May God bless you all with faith, hope and love in 2024 and beyond.