At my congregation’s Easter service, I quickly picked up on the tradition that when any speaker would say “He is Risen,” the audience would reply “Risen Indeed!” It was a really lovely and powerful service today. The sermon talked about how it can be frustrating to see what people have done in the name of God. Sometimes we can feel like Mary, who arrived at the tomb and saw it empty, and wondered: “What have they done with my Lord?” The speaker talked about how if you have a dandelion that has bloomed, once you blow the seeds, if you stare at the empty stalk, it’s like staring at the empty tomb: you’re looking in the wrong place for what comes next. Jesus was killed, and then…did he really, physically resurrect? To me, that’s a matter of faith, and not something that can be proved either way. But what I do know is that while on earth, Jesus of Nazareth inspired a relatively small amount of people to think differently about love and grace. But after he died, his life was resurrected into Jesus Christ, someone who has inspired billions to follow his message and ideals as recorded in the New Testament. Whether physically resurrected, or metaphorically resurrected, Jesus Christ has had a very real affect on countless people. Some have also used his name to persecute and oppress others, which can be depressing and even enraging. The Jesus I believe in was about loving everyone, and speaking truth to power. I also think the story about Jesus’ resurrection can be about our own resurrection. Saul was persecuting the Christians until he had a profound experience, and Saul “died.” Then he was “reborn” as Paul. Paul was maybe more important to the formation of Christian theology than anyone except for Jesus, and Paul had his own resurrection story. I don’t see myself anywhere on the same plane as Paul, but I also died to my original LDS faith three years ago. Although that death was painful to experience, I feel like I’ve been reborn to another kind of faith that is very precious to me. So, I too was resurrected from one life to another. Throughout our lives we may experience many deaths and rebirths as we mature, learn and experience things in life. This isn’t something to fear, but to celebrate. Like Jesus, we can be risen indeed!