The Bishop of Southwark, The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, offers this message for the season of Easter 

My brothers and sisters, Christ is Risen! The whole world is filled with joy as it is brought to new birth in her Risen Lord. We have so much to give thanks for - and so much to look forward to because of what Christ has accomplished.

And yet despite his Victory over death there is great suffering in our world which yearns for full restoration in Christ. In Gaza, in Ukraine, and in other parts of the world, women and children bear the full violence of war. We all face the challenge of environmental justice, and what diminishes one person made in the image of God diminishes us all.

As we live the Risen life with renewed purpose and vigour, I encourage you to not to be anxious. Anxiousness reduces our capacity for joy and our commitment to justice. It eats away at our hope and coarsens our love. Anxiety undermines community. An anxious person is, paradoxically, not humble, and an anxious Church cannot be truly hospitable.

In his letter to the Philippians, St Paul instructs us to let our gentleness be known to everyone and teaches us that the Lord is near. If we live anxiously we shall miss Christ in our neighbour, and we shall lose him in our hearts. And if we leave gentleness behind, we can be sure that anxiety has a hold of us.

My brothers and sisters, let us walk this Eastertide with the Risen Christ who makes himself known in the breaking of the bread. For he will provide, and with him we need fear no ill.

May God bless you and all those you love this joyful season.