This is the glorious season of Easter. The tomb has been shown to be a sham. What power and glory as been loosed into our lives!

During Lent we looked at six different crosses. Here they are. Each one had a meaning and significance. Each one can be an emblem of how the world is in trouble. Each one can signify our own troubles.

The transformational power and glory of Easter says to each of these locations for trouble -- begone! The cross is shown to be of no consequence.

In today's world there are still plenty of troubles. There is still a cross to daily bear. But we can now see beyond the current troubles. We can now see beyond the daily cross. We can now see all the way to troubles and crosses being transformed into new life.

In the book of the Acts of the Early Church we hear about Paul being suddenly and dramatically struck down. The one who was the persecutor of the followers of Jesus is transformed into the key missionary for this very same Jesus. We all stand in need of this sort of radical transformation. Day by day we confess our sins. Day by day we look for the transformation which comes from forgiveness. From the cross we hear Jesus say in anticipation of resurrection, "Forgive them, they don't know what they are doing." This is a radical transformation.

In the Gospel of John we hear about Peter slowly coming to understand the power and glory of Easter through a repeated conversation with Jesus raised to new life. We can listen in on a gradual transformation. "Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?" "You know I do. You know I do. You know I do. Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep. Feed my sheep.

How repetitious this is. Some have talked about it being a necessary parallel to Peter's three denials, as though everything has to be rounded off and accounted for. I think it reminds us of how we all need to work through a series of tries in changing an ingrained habit of ours. Peter is being called again from the sea. First it was, "I will make you catch people and make disciples." Now it is, "Feed my sheep."

How like Jesus to pound away at us. Love me; feed my sheep. Love GOD; feed my sheep. Love your neighbor; feed my sheep. Love one another; feed my sheep. Love your enemy; feed my sheep. Love yourself; feed my sheep.

We all stand in need of this gradual transformation. Day by day we are called to do better. We are to get better and better at not hurting others. We are to get better and better at doing more and more good. We are to get better and better at paying attention to the presence of GOD in our life and in the life of the world.

So we come back here week after week in order to grow a little bit closer to Jesus and to figure out how to feed Jesus' sheep.

Whether in a blinding flash, like Paul, or with increasing, dawning recognition, like Peter, we yearn for transformation.

This world is not the world it needs to become. Don't let anyone fool you. This world is not the world it needs to become. Don't let anyone tell it is as good as it is going to get. This world is not the world it needs to become. Don't let anyone trick you into thinking that life all comes down to one thing and if you just take care of that all will be alright. This world is not the world it needs to become.

We baptized Alex this morning. At some point he is going to need to be transformed. We don't know whether that will be a sudden transformation or a slower one over years.

I am sure you yearn, with me, for a better life for Alex than we lived out. There are going to be some crosses in Alex's life as well as an Easter experience. Let us pray again for Alex and Julie and Sandi and Dean. Let us pray that they will find the necessary transformation to be change-agents in the world.

Even as we pray for Alex we also pray for St. Luke's as a congregation. There is a need for a transformation here. We don't know whether GOD is going to treat us like Paul and give us a blinding vision that will consume our lives in becoming missionaries right here on the Northside of La Crosse. We don't know whether GOD is going to treat us like Peter and day-by-day lead us to understand what it means to feed Jesus' sheep. What does that metaphor or symbol of "sheep" mean anyway?

But, whether like Paul or like Peter, we yearn for a transformation that we will know our work and be about that business with energy and joy.

We yearn for a transformation that will not only lift our hearts but the hearts of those around us in this neighborhood.

We yearn for a transformation that will not only give us focus and joy, but we yearn for a transformation that will make a difference in the the lives of others in our families and neighborhood.

So we pray for transformation from feeling the weight of a cross to experiencing the light of Easter.

How's your morale today? How's the morale of your family and friends? How's the morale of St. Luke's? How's the morale of our neighborhood?

Perhaps the morale of one or more of those groups is doing reasonably well, but I suspect there is room for improvement in one or more of those groups. It is here that we yearn for transformation.

Let us wait upon GOD and see how our transformation will occur. Let us urge one another on to greater hope and faith and love.

Let us pray: Loving GOD who raised Jesus from the grave. We place before you our own lives. Transform us. Amen.

Copyright 2001. Wesley White, Pastor of St. Luke's United Methodist Church. 1022 Caledonia Street, La Crosse, WI 54603.

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