The Meaning of Easter

        For many Christians, Easter represents a historical event in which the anointed Son of God arose from the dead after being crucified as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of all mankind. It is taught, if you believe this, you will be saved and go to heaven when your life on earth concludes.

        For many other Christians, Easter represents a historical event in which a Jewish teacher/prophet from Nazareth was crucified because of his non-violent resistance movement against the Roman domination system of his time and the Jewish Temple authorities who collaborated with the Romans.

        Synagogue teachings written decades after Jesus' death, for followers of The Way,  included resurrection stories (i.e. the New Testament gospels) because the impact of Jesus’ teachings and example was not extinguished by his torture and death. It was also believed, at the time, that only a supernatural intervention by God to establish God’s Kingdom of unconditional love and social justice on earth, could and would completely defeat human imperial domination systems.  Some early Christians also came to believe that this heavenly intervention would be initiated by a second coming of Jesus to earth.

        They were wrong about any imminent supernatural intervention because one did not occur during the two generations after Jesus' crucifixion nor in any generation since the gospels were written. However, the spiritual understandings inspired by the teachings of Jesus as well as other religious leaders over the millennium, have slowly nudged human thinking and institutions closer to the demonstration of unconditional love and equality in human justice.

        However you choose to interpret Easter is up to what makes sense and personally satisfies you. Still, despite any differences in historical perspectives among Christians, we might all agree that living our lives consciously, with love, forgiveness, and a passion for justice, is the spiritual foundation and the highest metaphysical intent of the Easter message.

        The English word “repent” as found in the Bible comes from a Greek word "metanoeo" which means something like to rethink or to think in a new way. So, each Easter, we are reminded that whenever we find ourselves thinking in ways that prevent us from loving or being just towards one another, we can and are perpetually invited to repent. 

         If we humans can increase our spiritual capacity to love, forgive, and to seek out justice for all, doesn't that mean that God's Kingdom is spreading on earth, as it is in heaven?

     Amen and so it is.