Easter Sunday

Have you ever wondered why Jesus preferred the word "Father"? Jesus cannot be understood outside of his Jewish heritage and yet he develops this unique concept of a loving Father. We all know the anthropomorphic limits here but tied to it was the rather shocking degree to which Jesus introduced LOVE. While we know it, we seldom practice it. It was the "agape" unconditional love which illustrated it's most grand moment on Easter Sunday when Jesus was nailed to the cross.



Of all the religions of the world, Christianity alone stands head and shoulders above the rest in it's concept of love- a love that lays down it's life for others. It's more of a concept but every now and then we see it demonstrated in a person like Mother Teresa. But the most remarkable words that Jesus spoke was those wherein he affirmed that God, the Father loved Him!



God loves you. God loves me. Unconditionally!



Of the many mistakes and errors that the church has made over the centuries, probably the worst has been the Gospel of conditional love that has been preached. There on the cross, Jesus asked the Father to forgive them that were killing him. Say what? How does one endure that? Stephen later mastered it in the account in the book of Acts. I doubt I'm there, or anywhere near. And you?



On this Easter weekend, Good Friday to Easter Sunday, maybe that would be a good question to seriously ponder- beyond just a passing thought or two, beyond the Sunday sermon, beyond words! And maybe you could try to embrace this thought. Love begins and ends in EQUALITY! There is such amazing grace in unconditional love and unconditional freedom that allows it.



We say that we love our spouses, but usually there's a major domineering individual (historically the male) who sees themselves as higher. We all play different functional roles, but that aside we are all ONE! Oneness is what we are with everyone. Jesus got that. The seventeenth chapter of John reminds us of such. The church with it's vast hierachial structures (particularly the Catholic church) is the antithesis of this concept. The modern-day church is more into concepts of authority and obedience than love- the love Jesus demonstrated.



May we bow before more than the Cross this Easter Sunday. May we bow to everyone remembering the sanskrit word NAMASTE. The God in me bows to and recognizes the God in you. Jesus bowed to the entire world on what we call Good Friday and as a result God raised Him from the dead, glorified His body and gave demonstration to all of us as to what lies ahead for we who do the same



Make this a special Easter. Be ONE with everyONE you meet!