The idea for “Risen Life,” a 50-day collection of writings and reflections, came from a time in prayer Easter Sunday morning 2022. As I sat in my early morning prayer time and read the Easter account in Luke 24:1-12, I found myself newly astounded at the richness of the story. I was reading from the JB Phillips translation of the Bible, having just acquired a lovely leather copy that once belonged to a clergy colleague. With the New Revised Standard Version being the translation of choice, practice, and liturgy for the last 30 years of my ministry, as I sat with the story in the Phillips translation, I discovered myself struck by certain words that opened new doors for me. I also discovered in this time of quiet early Easter morning that I wanted to stay with this story—this account in Luke. So, I did.

There is a vacancy that happens after the rich devotional and learning time of Lent. On Easter morning, I was drawn into this familiar story. On this day of resurrection, I was already missing the 40 days of preparation and prayer through Lent and was feeling a sense of “now what?”. The expansive season of Easter lay before me. Perhaps there was something in these 12 verses that might sustain and guide these 50 days. Needing a daily practice, a daily resource for prayer and reflection, I accepted the nudge to take this account and use it to explore what the Risen Life—what resurrection—might mean. What would the practice of slowly, prayerfully, and methodically living with one of the resurrection stories for 50 days hold and bring?

And so, I started. I wrote and continued to write every day. I intentionally took words and phrases slowly and methodically. I resisted the temptation to rush resurrection. Deeply listening to the Spirit in the words of these 12 verses opened a richness and a gift of how resurrection can be lived and prayed. I invite you to join me on this resurrection journey as we take a deep dive into Luke’s account and the promises it holds as we receive the gift of life: eternal now.

Blessings,

Louise Peters

Louise Peters is a priest in the Anglican Church of Canada, who presently lives in the Interior of British Columbia. Ordained for 38 years, she has served in a variety of ministries, from parishes to university chaplaincy, cathedrals to conference centers. Most recently, she served as the vicar of St. James Cathedral in Toronto and, prior to that, served as the dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kamloops, British Columbia. Presently, Louise is the founding director of Sapience Spiritual Direction, an online practice that offers prayer and soul friend support to those who seek to deepen their relationship with the Holy One. She finds her own soul renewed through contemplative prayer, river walks with her lab Jack, and conversations shared around scripture circles.