A Message of Hope to Colleagues around the World in GPENreformation
Like new!
Dear Colleagues, Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
there are surely some of you who have heard the word “Quasimodogeniti” before. A real word monster! Many have to guess which language that is, and only a few know what this word really means. This term denotes the first Sunday after Easter. It is Latin, and actually there are three words: “quasi”, “modo” and “geniti”. These can be translated as “like newborns”.
These three words form the beginning of a verse from the New Testament, in the 1. Epistle of Peter. This verse is the beginning of a reading in the church service on the first Sunday after Easter. Since services were held in Latin in earlier centuries, this Sunday, which starts this week, got its name from the Latin version of these initial words.
The whole verse from the Epistle of Peter says that the first Christians at that time were as interested in the gospel as the newborn children who are thirsty for good milk. This reminds us that after Easter everything is new and full of energy.
The image of the newborn goes well with Easter, the festival in which we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus as the victory of life over death. In many countries, Easter is also remembered for the awakening of nature after the cool winter. Here in Central Europe, eggs are painted and hidden for children in the house or the garden. That should express: Life is born anew.
We can use this idea very well at a time when the pandemic spreads fear and terror in almost all countries around the world and so many people fall ill or even die. All of us, whether we are affected or not, should think of them, provide help wherever possible and express our sympathy to all concerned. But we also need hope, which gives new courage to live and the energy for the next weeks and months despite the threatening dangers. Hope is like milk for the newborn, the hope that something new will grow up again.
For our schools and for all students, this is an encouraging thought for this period shortly after Easter: the gospel gives new energy and let “taste that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2,3). It’s like invigorating spiritual milk. Such new energies can be good news that gives courage: maybe supportive help individuals who needs urgent assistance; maybe a good idea to do things differently and better in the near future; maybe a common song that expresses delight and confidence.
“Quasimodogeniti” reminds us to think every day of the new energy that we draw from our faith and that God always gives us anew. As “God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” (Isaiah 40, 29)
On this Sunday, exactly 460 years ago – on April 19, 1560 – Philipp Melanchthon died in Wittenberg, a leading figure of the Lutheran Reformation who brought together gospel, reason and education like hardly anybody else. Learning is the energy from which a lot of new things can emerge and which gives hope, energy and confidence – just like milk for the newborn.
With warm regards and good wishes from Germany
Annette Scheunpflug
Feedback
Amen! Merci pour ce message d’espoir et de renaissance! Que le Seigneur protege son peuple!
Dear brothers and sisters,
I have great joy to share this hope in Christ also with you. Thank you Annette.
Grand merci de ce message d’espoir pendant ces moments difficiles que nous vivons. Le message nous donne effectivement du courage de nous lancer dans l’avenir quoique encore rempli d’incertitudes.
Toute ma gratitude au Prof. Dr. Annette Scheunpflug pour ce réflexion profonde et très édifiante!
Avec mes meilleures salutations!
Thank you so much GPEN Team for sharing with us letters of Hope.
Best Regard from Tanzania
I receive this message with a lot inspiration and renewal of strength, well fitting in challenging moments as these.
Thank you very much to the GPEN Team and to Prof. Dr. Annette Scheunpflup.
Stay blessed.
Praise be to God for the encouraging message of the gospel through Prof. Dr. Annette. We are inspired by the word ” like newborn. We need to believe in God’s word and be empowered to help others. There is greatness within us that has not been tapped into for the light to shine in our schools, our nation and the whole world. As ambassadors there is a need to encourage ourselves in the lord again, and be hope to the hopeless, strength for the weak and food for the hungry at a time like this and even after Covid 19.
The Journey is still long.
Thanks again to Pro. Dr. Annette for the empowering message of courage, hope to keep us moving forward, for Victory is ours through the resurrected Jesus. Amen.
Merci pour ce message.
Je suis reconnaissant au Professeur Annette Scheunpflug d’avoir partagé avec nous cette réflexion. Un message d’espoir qui nous arrive au beau moment et nous donne courage durant cette période.
Que la protection du Seigneur repose sur nous tous.
We thank God that under this global pandemic we are privileged to read inspirational and motivational messages that give us hope and build our faith in God..
Prof. Dr. Annette Scheunpflug, thank you, we are very grateful for your powerful letter of hope to us. Our GPEN Team, thank you also for always being there for us.
To you all, I say God richly bless you.
Vielen Dank Professor Annette. Möge Gott Ihnen immer gute Gesundheit geben!
Thank you Professor Anette. May God give you good health always.
Thank you professor Dr. Annette for the wonderful message. Through your message, We are strongly encouraged during this epidemic passage.
Be blessed
Thanks very much, for this deeply thoughts.
Blessings.
Merci beaucoup pour ce message d’espoir et d’encouragement du Professeur Dr Annette.
A ce moment ou tout est aux arrêt, la peur du covid19 mais aussi du lendemain incertain car plusieurs ont perdu leur travail, nous avons besoin d’un souffle nouveau et d’espoir.
Ce message du professeur Annette arrive au bon moment.
Que Dieu soit loué
Hello.
Je suis vraiment très content du message donné par Dr Annette, un bon message d’espoir qui vient au moment opportun car:il nous donne le courage pour pouvoir surmonter cette période horrible. Selon ce qui est dit en Psaumes 46:2-3, nous sommes sûrs et certains que cette période ne peut jamais nous séparer de notre Dieu qui a donné son cher fils afin de nous sauver de la mort éternelle.
Que Dieu la bénisse !
Presbyterian Church of Rwanda/Protestant Council of Rwanda
Bonjour,
Quelle bonne nouvelle!
Merci beaucoup pour ce message édifiant, encourageant et plein d’espoir.
Nous en avons besoin en Haiti.
Je suis reconnaissant au Professeur Annette Scheunpflug d’avoir partagé avec nous cette réflexion.
Amen!
