Easter
People
“A
rebirth out of spiritual adversity causes us to become new
creatures.”
James
E. Faust
Every
Easter, I struggle with the symbolism of Jesus' death on the cross
and resurrection. I envy people who take it at face value, and go
around proclaiming, “He is risen!” as though that were the extent
of it. For me, if there is meaning to be found in the crucifixion of
Jesus, it is that love, especially great love, carries with it both
responsibility and sacrifice. If we were to truly follow in Jesus'
footsteps, we would get over our tendency to judge other people, and
simply open our hearts to all without condition. I don't see us human
beings, Christian or otherwise, doing that. Resurrection is a symbol
of hope, of second chances—of life reclaimed, and starting out
fresh as new creatures, for surely, Jesus back from the dead, was
different from Jesus teaching by the sea, or Jesus hanging on the
cross.
We
also associate Easter with renewal of Earth, with the rebirth of
Spring, but for the entire Southern hemisphere, this is Autumn; not
bloom, but harvest. Jerusalem, where Jesus died, is in the Northern
Hemisphere, and even in the Northern temperate zone, but what about
the half of this planet below the equator? Are their symbols
different; is Easter more like Thanksgiving for them? As you can see,
I have more questions than answers.
Perhaps
I should simply say, “He is risen!” and be done with it. I do
like the words of Pope John Paul II: “Do not abandon yourselves to
despair. We are Easter people, and hallelujah is our song.” Amen to
that.
In
the Spirit,
Jane
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