Happy Easter

     Easter is much more than just bunnies and baskets.  It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus after his crucifixion.

     This is a very solemn time and joyous holiday in the Christian religion.  It makes us think deeply about the struggle and triumph of Jesus -his tireless love for mankind, teaching us the way of salvation.  He endured a tortuous ordeal, including betrayal, denial, libel, and lies.  His crucifixion took place right in front of his mother - imagine the confusion that must have brought to her.  He was laid in a cave.  He then rose from the dead, showed himself to his disciples and friends, and after forty days ascended from this world.

     It is my firm conviction that these were actual, historical events.  Jesus lived.  He was betrayed and crucified.  He rose from the dead to show us that life is eternal.  I thought readers of this blog might want to know how Christian Science views Easter (from Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy):

     “Our Lord and Master presented himself to his disciples after his resurrection from the grave, as the self-same Jesus whom they had loved before the tragedy on Calvary”. (p. 317).

     “Through all the disciples experienced they became more spiritual and understood better what the Master had taught.  His resurrection was also their resurrection.  It helped them to raise themselves and others from spiritual dullness and blind belief in God into the perception of infinite possibilities” (p. 34).

     “Let men think they had killed the body!  Afterwards he would show it them unchanged” (p. 42).

     “The resurrection of the great demonstrator of God’s power was the proof of his final triumph over body and matter, and gave full evidence of divine Science, - evidence so important to mortals” (p. 42).

      “Glory be to God, and peace to the struggling hearts!  Christ hath rolled away the stone from the door of human hope and faith, and through the revelation and demonstration of life in God, hath elevated them to possible at-one-ment with the spiritual idea of man and his divine Principle, Love” (p. 45).

     “We acknowledge that the crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection served to uplift faith to understand eternal Life, even the allness of Soul, Spirit, and the nothingness of matter” (p. 497).

     I wish you a very happy Easter.  Amidst all the celebration this weekend, the baskets, cards, lilies, and eggs, let’s remember the first Easter – grief-stricken women going to anoint a dead body with spices only to find a risen Savior!  Our gratitude to Jesus for giving his life for us is immense.  We best show this gratitude by living the life he expected us to live: being loving, forgiving, and selfless to others. 

     Like many other Christians, I will be in church Sunday morning.  I will be singing one of my favorite hymns:  “Let us sing of Easter gladness that rejoices every day. Sing of hope and faith uplifted; Love has rolled the stone away.”