Easter

THE SPIRIT OF EASTER

Blessings Dear Ones,

It is customary for me to cover both the Easter and Passover holy days in this seasonal message, because I do not believe that there is any separation in the ultimate message of this special season. However, as Easter and Passover are so far apart this year, I hope that my Jewish friends will understand the message that I hope to convey. My passover message will come in April.

The holy days of Easter have always been a very important part of my life and so my natural inspiration has been Jesus for as long as I can remember. I have vivid memories as a child of sitting in church on Easter Sunday and being transfixed by the notion of re-birth and eternal life. As I matured into adulthood and through much inquisitive learning, I began to understand that the religion of Christianity was, in the fullness of time, a comparatively new one. I knew that Jesus was born and died a member of Jewish faith, yet I was never taught what that actually meant. The fact that Christianity is actually an offshoot of Judaism is sometimes a fact lost. Jesus did not organize a religion called "Christianity." His followers did. It is not surprising, therefore, that there is much about Passover that seems familiar to us as Christians. It is in our cellular memory, and we celebrate the same ideal whether the origin comes from an ancient source or a new one. The intent of our worship is identical in both religions. We remember our history and the lessons that came from it. And, in so doing, we are motivated to gain inspiration, renewed energy and a sense of doing good in the passage of our lives going forward.

Is it so hard to comprehend, therefore, that all of us carry in our souls an ancient knowledge that betrays all worldly teachings? If we carry our beliefs into adulthood from what we learned as children, I believe that most of us begin to take our religious affiliations for granted. We forget to ask the important questions about what it is that we really do believe. Because we learn as innocents, we are taught to trust what we are being taught by our elders implicitly. Therefore, the words we hear from those in charge of our education are considered sacrosanct. We know that they are old and full of wisdom, are they not?

To the chagrin of both my parents, I was not one of those children. It is a mixed blessing to be born with an inquiring spirit, a thirst for knowledge, and a unique instinct for what rings "true." I could never just "accept" what was told to me. I guess I learned early to trust my own soul and to question anything that did not instinctively feel quite right. Many times, this caused my tutors great anxiety because I could not understand what they were telling me, and I realize now why I could not understand.

Often I ask myself, how can I remain a member of the Christian faith when what I really feel is that all faiths converge into the one Source. Religious dogma was created by human beings, and was intended to subdue, to control and to draw in. Therefore, one could not cross any spiritual lines that did not speak the so-called truth of that dogma.

I do believe, however, that special people in history have been sent inspirations by God. But those inspirations must be interpreted because we all are, after all, human. The importance of interpreting them to fit what is best for ourselves is what is significant. I believe that true spirituality does not have any lines to cross. Spirituality is all One. It comes from the One Source. Regardless of the teachings of any religion, spirituality is an ideal that all people share, and it transcends all forms of teaching. It is original knowledge and, therefore, cannot be taught. It is instinct, born of a free spirit - an innocent, whose journey is just beginning. Spirituality encompasses Original Thought. And all of us are born with it, whether we choose to recognize it or not. I instinctively knew that all I wanted was to be free, to be who I knew I was (even at such a young age), and to have the freedom to expand that original knowledge.

I suppose the answer to my own question of why I identify with Christianity is, as I said before, that I relate to the special being of the one called Jesus. Stories of His life, death and resurrection have inspired me for as long as I can remember. His teachings are "truth" to me, so that regardless of whether or not I consider myself a Christian, I certainly am a follower of Jesus' teachings. I believe in life after death, I believe in miracles, and I believe in treating my fellow human beings with respect and love. And I do believe that Jesus died so that he might be an example to all humankind as a messenger of God, as many others have done before Him and, I believe, even after Him.

Easter, in conjunction with Passover, therefore, is the season which harmonizes with my soul. It is both pain and ecstasy - the pain of Christ's death and the ecstasy of His resurrection. Through Christ's resurrection, God has shown me that lives are eternal. I commune with my loved ones who have passed into spirit, all year, but especially on Easter Sunday, where I celebrate their spiritual freedom through the sacrament given to us of this holiest of Holy days. It is as personal to me as it can be, but it serves as a reminder that nothing is lost to those who believe this miracle is possible.

For me, the Easter message is one of hope and victory over death, for it recalls that Christ rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. Easter symbolizes the love of God and the promise that the souls of humankind are immortal. It is the time of year that resonates with me because it brings me the opportunity for reflection, to feel the pain of loss in many areas of my life and in the life of my loved ones, and the ability to emerge with a sense of renewal and joy in the knowledge that all things must die or change in order to be re-born again. One need only to witness spring in full bloom and to acknowledge that just a few short weeks before, the land was barren, showing no signs of life. Was it through Divine Plan that the holy days of Easter fall at the height of new birth? I believe so. It is significant. It is also symbolic.

There are many parallels throughout all religions. But for me, the celebrations of Passover and Easter reveal similarities in more ways than I can explain. I believe that great men do bring great revelations. To me, Moses and Jesus were two of those men. They were handpicked by God, sent to speak Truth and to lead people to their salvation. The inspirations of these two men resonate with my soul.

It is our responsibility to hear our own truths and to comprehend the meaning in our own very intimately personal way. For me, that truth is love one another, for we all came from the very first seed and are intrinsically linked to one another. If we hurt another, as Pharoah did to the Israelites and Judas did to Jesus, we only hurt ourselves. There is no separation of souls, only of minds. Our eternal souls are bonded forever.

Finally, my wish for you all is that, whatever your religion, you find peace and comfort during these troubled times. May you have the freedom to celebrate this season in whatever way you feel brings you the most peace. May God bless you, keep you safe from harm, and may you feel contentment and love in your life always.

Love,