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By Kristin Jesha Mari A. Sandig, 4^th Year AB Mass Communication Student

Song leader Engr. Vitini Idemne and University Church Outreach Pastor Pastor Rev. Roger Quimpo.

On April 4^th, 2021, at 5:00 AM the University Church held a Resurrection Day celebration even amid trying circumstances. It was held in the big field of the campus and aired through the University’s Facebook and YouTube channels. Adhering to health protocols, the congregation did not falter in showing its praise for God. The physically distanced chairs and the virtual audience still proved that nothing can separate those who genuinely want to proclaim their faith in God.

President Dr. Teodoro Robles, President of ����ר��, and Rev. Cris V. Sian, Senior Pastor of University Church, CPU gave powerful opening remarks to start the celebration. “In the onslaught of disease, destitution, despair, and death we need to be reminded that we are not alone. We have a living Savior who is with us.” Rev. Sian said that in these difficult times we live in, we need to remind ourselves to anchor our lives to God. Let us keep our eyes set on God’s Word and His promises.

The invocation was led by Rev. Ruth Lunasco which was then followed by a musical rendition from Dr. Faith Daphne Estrada. Armed with a guitar, she showed her God-given talent in praise.

University Church Senior Pastor Rev. Cris Amorsolo Sian giving the Message during the sunrise worship.

The Word for the celebration was on John 1:1-18. Pastor Sian compared the struggle of Jesus’ inner circle, especially Mary in the aftermath of Jesus’ death to the current struggles of the World in times of COVID-19 Pandemic. “There are times when life will hit us hard sending us staggering to the pavement…And life doesn’t owe us any explanation.”  He continues by saying, “When life kicks you hard it doesn’t mean that you are a bad human being. It means that you are a human being.” The good reverend reminds us that human as we are, with all our strengths, we are not in control for only God is in control. He proceeds to parallel Mary’s grief at the thought of Jesus’ death. Despondent the way the world is at this moment for the situation the world is in. Using the comparison of Mary in her struggle of the death of her Teacher, one can see that she was crying out and in pain but was consoled by the mere mention of her name by Jesus. It was a moment that started the spark of hope. This is a reminder that like Mary, we are personally called by name every day and are given a promise. A promise that God knows what we need to be better and that he has a plan set in motion for us. We only need to hold on. Rev. Sian also testified that he has fallen into despair like Mary at certain points in his life. Hopeless. Isolated. Deprived. He ended his testimony by quoting Nadia Bolz-Webber, founding pastor of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “I believe that the resurrection is not to make us perfect like wingless angels looking smart and almost displaying a halo. The resurrection is not about God doing an extreme makeover to make us look pious. Resurrection is about God making us new and alive.” And, “New is the thing we never saw coming but ends up what we needed all along.”

This speaks of the journey of Jesus that culminated in His resurrection. It was a difficult journey. The journey of how God was betrayed, tortured, and rose again. Jesus showed us how to endure, forgive, and have victory over despair. These are the qualities we must emulate in our lives to claim the promise of Jesus that says, “He who believes in me will never die.”