Easter’s Spiritual Message
By Rev. Lane Williams
The Easter Season has been a hard time for me over the years. As a child growing up in Southern California I was disturbed by my Christian classmates’ angry accusations that we Jews had killed Jesus. There was nothing I could say or do to reassure them that I had nothing to do with this crime. I felt separate, filled with guilt and shame, and powerless to heal and reunite us. Still to this day, I do not associate the cross with Jesus teachings. I love Jesus, not the cross. So I would prefer to not have the cross depicted in our services, even one filled with flowers, and even when we have uplifting metaphysical interpretations and explanations for it. Its presence in the sanctuary is too much for me to bear. Hopefully you will all understand and honor my request. And if this is something that is very important to you, then I shall overcome my aversion to it and allow it to be on display.
Today I know a lot more about this whole event – the last week of Jesus life, his death and resurrection. I have studied the various stories in the gospels, studied the various theories of the Jesus Seminar scholars and other learned theologians, and of course, Unity’s metaphysical take on the events. Intellectually I know a lot more about it and yet the pain of the crucifixion is still with me. I no longer feel the guilt and shame of those childhood years, and I have long ago forgiven those folks who accused me then. I can even bless them as I realize that their deep feelings called out to me to examine my own feelings about the life and death of Jesus. Yet as Good Friday draws nearer, my heart is filled with anguish and pain. I can feel Peter’s fear as he renounced his association with Jesus; I understand Judas motive to have Jesus forced to demonstrate his power to avoid death; I can almost feel the weight of the cross as he dragged it through the streets; I hear the jeering of the crowds, and pain of the nails being hammered into his hands. And then when I read again his last words, I am deeply touched by his compassion. I am there present, in that moment filled with all the love, wisdom, and power his life demonstrated. This is a powerful time for me. I thank God that the resurrection quickly follows so I don’t have to experience that pain any longer.
On the lighter side, there’s a part of me that knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that this why chocolate is traditionally a part of the Easter celebration – to add endorphins to our systems and lift our spirits!
So our Master Wayshower, Jesus, left us with a powerful Easter message. As we listen to his final words we can use them to examine our life, releasing negative, error thinking, habits, and beliefs. We can use this spiritual preparation time for inner reflection, spiritual cleansing, releasing, renewal and transformation. Whether in actuality Jesus did resurrect or whether it was his spirit seen in a dream or vision, I cannot say. And in truth it is immaterial to me. For Jesus is “risen” in me. His truth lives on in me and I use his faith, his blessings, his love, and his undying willingness to forgive even those who so spitefully used him and betrayed him to guide me in my life. This is his message that we take with us from the Easter season. Hallelujah! He is risen. He is risen indeed!
