Dear Friends,
Spring is a time of that first flower bud peeking through the soil of the bulb you buried in the darkness of winter.
Spring is a season of rising again after lying dormant, lifting ourselves from the shadow of winter, where we may have bundled ourselves up into a place of hibernating, pondering, and waiting.
Spring is a marking of freedom from the winter’s chill and stepping into a new beginning of transforming life.
Spring is a time when all three Abrahamic religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – celebrate their important religious observances. And by the way, all three religions worship the same God founded by Abraham.
In spring Jews celebrate the Passover commemorating the liberation of Hebrew slaves from oppression led by Moses with the help of God.
In spring Muslims break from fasting at the end of the holy month of Ramadan and celebrate over three days of feasts, parades, gifts, and charitable giving.
In spring Christians celebrate the long-awaited Easter following the 40 days of Lent of penitence and introspection, fasting and prayer.
It is Easter Morning for us, a day of celebrating resurrection, rebirth, and new possibilities. We celebrate the Easter of Jesus Christ rising again, sharing with humanity the eternal hope and love of God revealed to us in the Resurrection event.
In this holy spring, let us all be good humans on earth as we pray for a saner and peaceful world. Let us be good neighbors to each other. Let us be the reason why someone feels included, welcomed, valued, listened to, understood, supported, and loved. Let us be the ancestors our descendants will thank.
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed.
John
