Easter Thoughts

By | April 18, 2019
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Easter Thoughts

It’s Easter time. It’s a time of rejoicing for Christian around the world. It is a time of rebirth and time for a renewal of faith.

But I was thinking how much we all need a resurrection – a resurrection within us. Each morning when we wake we can choose how we will be on that day. In a sense, in a way,  it’s like our own daily resurrection. Our spirits can be lifted, our bodies and our faith renewed. We can choose to be the person we’ve always wanted to be, or we can continue being the person we are.

If we are very lucky we are both of those – the person we are is the person we have always wanted to be. But I believe that’s very rare. Most of us wish we were better people, more faithful, more compassionate, less judgmental, less confrontational, happier – more of some things and less of others.

I find myself judging others because of the way they look, how they live, what they have, or what they don’t have, what they have or have not done. But I have no right to do that. I have no right to judge anyone, no matter who they are, what they look like, how rich or poor, how they live, what they have, or what they’ve done. My resurrection comes every day I wake and I get to choose what kinds of person I will be that day. Will I and do I want to be who I was yesterday? Or do I want to be a better person today than I was yesterday?

You’re probably thinking that I can change all I want, but everyone else will see and know me as I was yesterday. And I say: So what? What difference does it make what anyone else thinks? It makes no difference unless we let it make a difference. So tomorrow when we wake we can be resurrected – we can be the person we have always wanted to be, or we can take the easy way and be what we’ve always been. And blessed is the one who is both.

So, it’s Eastertime. And the people who have not seen the inside of a church in a year will put on their Sunday best and make an appearance in church and celebrate the Risen Christ. And tomorrow they will be the person they’ve always been. And I’m not judging, it’s just something I’ve observed over the years.

Jesus said that we should pray in private and not pray in public so we can be seen praying. That’s what he said. How many people go to church so they can say they go to church – so they can be seen in church?

Why is it we see hell clearer than we see heaven? Here’s what I mean: The world, no doubt, is full of evil. People killing people. People using people for their own gain. Jihadists blowing up airports and train stations – and skyscrapers. Rapists, murderers, marauders, cheaters, abusers – we all can see the worst of humanity more clearly than we can see the best in the world. The moms and dads and grandparents who love and are loved by their family. The children going off to school knowing they are loved. The heroes. The everyday heroes – the brother who gives a kidney to a sister so that she may live, parents who protect their children, the mom who wakes up early every morning to fix her kids lunch to take to school. The dad who works two jobs in order to provide for his family.

We can see the hell in our world more clearly than the little pieces of heaven. Why do you think that is? Are we Christians because we say we are? Are we Christians because we show up in church each week and sing hymns and listen to our priests and pastors tell us what the Scriptures mean?

Do you know what I think? I think everyone Christian or not should read the words upon which Jesus based his teaching and the foundation upon which all Christian churches should be built.

I don’t proselytize. I don’t care much for proselytizers. Everyone should have the freedom and the right to believe or not believe as they choose. So I don’t write this to knock on your door and hand you a pamphlet telling you’re not going to heaven if you don’t believe as I do. No, that’s not what I’m going to do. I’m going to ask you read the words of Jesus that every one of us, Christian or not should aspire.

It’s Eastertime and the reason for the season is to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and the rebirth of faith. Whether you believe or not, whether you call your Christian or not, if we all lived by these words from the Man, the Teacher from Galilee, the world would be a lot less like hell, and a lot more like heaven:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are the merciful,
for they shall obtain mercy.

“Blessed are the pure of heart,
for they shall see God.

“Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they shall be called children of God.

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…”

“…You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?…

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

” So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him…”

No matter who you are, or what your religion, or what you believe, I hope these Words from the teachings of Jesus will guide you today, tomorrow and always. If all of us lived by those words, the world would be much more like heaven, and very much less like hell.

The world would be a much better place.

Happy Easter!

13 thoughts on “Easter Thoughts

  1. Irwin Thorncraft

    Your writing and the time you have taken to write this wonderful truth is appreciated.
    Well over 70 years now I have proved the message of Easter, and like you recommend it’s application to all.
    I see the passion of your writing illustrated in your approach to your dealing with the wonderful attention to detail with the Cloudeight presentations daily. Many thanks.

    Reply
  2. Marjory

    Thank you for these inspiring words. Happy and a blessed Easter.

    Reply
  3. Shirley Woods

    So appreciate your sharing this word of encouragement to do better and to do our best in this world. Truth is a precious thing. God bless you.

    Reply
  4. David Amstell

    A commendable post indeed. You have succinctly outlined the essence of Jesus’ teaching, for all to read and reflect upon.

    Reply
  5. Roberta-Ohio

    This is a wonderful message and makes my heart glad.
    Thank you and Blessings!! ?

    Reply
  6. Jean Seiter

    May you have a very blessed Easter, Darcy and TC. Your post today is a message we all need to be following every day of our lives. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  7. Bonnie

    Awesome! And a Happy and Blessed Easter to you and all your family..

    Reply
  8. JonInOz

    Hi TC & EB,
    It is unfortunate that Christian authorities and leaders preach lies and deception relating to Easter.
    There are too many miscreants in the world, too much dishonesty and yet religious belief has destroyed the honesty of Easter and Christmas.
    Our current calendars in different part of the world other than the Northern Hemisphere do not coincide with Springtime, the end of a cold winter, the warmth of the sun, the ground ready for planting new crops is the ‘Easter’ festival.
    Good people do not need a religion to be good people, and the above information has been passed down to our families from past generations.

    Oestre/Easter

    Although the Christian festival of Easter celebrates the torture and death of Jesus on a cross, especially his alleged resurrection, and this has links to the Jewish Passover, most people, including Christians, unknowingly celebrate its pagan influences, including the bunny, a symbol of fertility, and colored eggs, representing the sunlight of spring.

    It took over 300 years before Christians established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon following the March Equinox at the First Council of Nicaea in 325 C.E. The pagan Easter, however, was celebrated long before Christianity (although the festival went by many names).

    In the 8th century, Christian scholar Bede claimed in his book, De temporum ratione, (The Reckoning of Time) that Easter derived from the Saxon Eostre (a.k.a. Eastre).
    The ancient Saxons in Northern Europe worshiped the Goddess Oestre at the time of the Spring Equinox.
    The Goddess Easter represents the sunrise, spring-time and fertility, the renewal of life.

    Pagan Anglo-Saxons made offerings of colored eggs to her at the Vernal Equinox. They placed them at graves especially, probably as a charm of rebirth. (Egyptians and Greeks were also known to place eggs at grave sites).

    Only later did the Christians pilfer the name for themselves and graft their religion onto a pagan celebration.

    https://www.nobeliefs.com/easter.htm

    “Hiding the facts does not destroy them no matter how deep they are buried.”
    Stefanou Anoir.

    Reply
  9. Maxine Hunt

    Bravo, TC. You truly are our brother in Christ. I thank God that the truth of his word has been clearly revealed to those who call him ‘Father’. The truth of God’s purpose for us has no correlation to the holidays celebrated throughout the world by non believers. For those who understand what the resurrection of Jesus means to mankind, the celebration of this gift; the ‘gift that keeps on giving’, continues each and every day of our lives. I don’t care what day we celebrate Jesus’s victory over sin. I do care that now we have a chance to share in that victory and a path to the Father. Again, Bravo!!

    Reply

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