“What are you doing for Easter?” is a question I have heard often lately. It usually means are you making dinner or celebrating with family and friends.
But it is a great question to cause us to look at the meaning of Easter and what it can mean to us today .
No matter what the sacred event, if we cannot use something about it for our own spiritual growth, it is pointless. Even the Resurrection!
If we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection as a miracle, we have made Jesus the great exception. Everything he taught his followers was that they too could do what he did. He was teaching them a way of perceiving life, of thinking about life and of living life.
Ernest Holmes reminds us that we will not be immortal when we die, but that we are immortal right now. The Truth of us is infinite and eternal. As spiritual beings, our essence is invisible.
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| On our way to church Easter 1956 |
What are your memories of Easter? What I remember the most is the new clothes that we got to wear to church. Sometimes there was even a new hat to complete the outfit. Of course, we spent Saturday decorating the boiled eggs that would be hidden for us to find on Easter morning. It wasn’t until later in my childhood we had chocolate bunnies as a treat.
I used to think that symbolically Jesus was in the egg. But it didn’t make sense because he was supposed to have come out of the tomb alive not hard-boiled. I was happy to learn that eggs and bunnies don’t have anything to do with Jesus’ resurrection, but rather with a ancient spring holiday honoring the goddess, Eostre, which celebrated fertility…hens and bunnies were the right match.
I also remember as a 12-year old how painful was Jesus death to me. I thought since he was God, he could easily have avoided the whole crucifixion thing. But never-the-less I felt very guilty and sad for killing God’s son. I was glad that he lived!
I now know that you and I were born innocent. I have renounced a belief in sin, evil and guilt.
I do think the Easter activities are fun and many can be meaningful.
Like the ancient pagans, I believe the story is one of transformation, renewal, immortality and new life. I believe we can learn much from both stories.
So when I am asked what am I doing for Easter, I remind myself that what I am doing first is turning within to connect with the Eternal Presence. I remind myself to practice transformation and watch myself grow.
What are you doing for Easter?