April Ministry Reflection: The Great Invitation

Welcoming others into the life of the Church means making space for them in our communities, in our homes, and in our lives.

I know I was just saying I couldn’t believe that it was already Lent…but now I can’t believe that we’re rounding the corner on Holy Week.

It’s just a matter of time before we’re welcoming our Lord with palm branches, asking Him to put us His right hand in the Kingdom, participating in the institution of His Meal, abandoning Him as we stand idly by while our Lord voluntarily takes up His Cross.

Before we bury Him.

Before we hear the first rumblings of New Life on the Great and Holy Sabbath.

Before we gather at the darkest hour in anticipation when we will boldly proclaim the most unlikely Reality.

That Christ is Risen.

It’s the moment we’ve been waiting for. But it’s not just an announcement. 

It’s an invitation.

An invitation that begins with a door flung wide open.

The Resurrection isn’t just something we celebrate once a year with candles and bells and feasting (let’s be honest, though; the feasting is fantastic). 

The Resurrection is the very center of our faith. The center of our life. The moment in history that changed everything everywhere for everyone, and everyone is invited to enter the feast and to experience the radical reorientation of reality that is Pascha, the springing forth of new life from the grave.

Fr. Alexander Schmemann put it this way: “The entire Christian faith is the proclamation of joy, of the only possible joy on earth.” And this is what the Resurrection is—it is joy. It is life. It is an open door into something entirely new.

The doors of Hades are trampled down. 

The doors of the altar are left open. 

The tomb of Christ is revealed to be empty, and all of us are invited to peek our heads in and see for ourselves and to taste the newness of life.

And if we’ve been given this invitation to new life, to step into the light of the empty tomb, then the question is: Who else are we inviting?

What about the doors of our hearts… how open are those? 

Because this isn’t just about us.

One of the most beautiful things about Pascha is that it is a feast of entrance. Everything about the services calls us forward—out of the darkness, into the light, into the Kingdom. And when we hear, “Come receive the light,” that invitation is not just for those already standing in the Church, but for those outside, for those who have never yet stepped in.

And if we listen closely, we might hear another invitation in all of this: a call to invite others to the feast.

Specifically, how do we invite the youth and young adults in our parishes into this new life?

We don’t just mean inviting them to a Pascha service—though, of course, that’s a great place to start. But inviting them into the life of the Church is more than just hoping they show up to Liturgy. It means making space for them in our communities, in our homes, and in our lives.

So, what can we do to invite youth and young adults deeper into the new life we are offered every Pascha?

1. See them. Too often, young people feel invisible in our churches. Make it a point to say hello. Learn their names. Ask how they’re doing. Small gestures can make a big impact.
   

2. Engage them. We should be inviting youth and young adults to participate in the life of the Church in meaningful ways—whether it’s reading in services, helping with events, or simply being part of conversations that matter.
   

3. Be present. The Resurrection of Christ means that He is present with us. If we are to invite others into that presence, we must first be present ourselves. Show up for the youth in your community. Invest in them. Walk with them.
   

4. Open your homes. Hospitality isn’t just about coffee hour; it’s about creating spaces where people feel welcome. One of the most powerful ways to invite young adults more deeply into the life of the Church is to invite them into our homes, to share a meal, to build relationships beyond Sunday mornings. Consider inviting any college students away from home or young adults new to your parish to your Paschal feast!
   

5. Live the joy. If we truly believe that Christ’s Resurrection is an invitation into joy, then our lives should reflect that. If young people see us as bored, bitter, or disinterested in our faith, why would they want to stay? Far more important than what we say or teach or the programs we offer is simply who we are.

At Pascha, we sing, “Let us embrace one another. Let us call brothers even those who hate us.” If we can extend that embrace to those outside, to those who feel lost, to those searching for something real, then we will be living the Resurrection.

If we can extend that embrace to the young people in our midst, then we will be sharing the joy of Pascha in the everyday moments, amidst turmoil and pain, amidst loneliness and disconnection.

The Church is not just a place where we gather for services. It is the Body of Christ, the very presence of the Kingdom of God in the world. And if the doors of the empty tomb have been flung open, then so must the doors of our churches, our homes, and our hearts.