|
Easter 2009
Welcome to OneLife Ministries. This site is designed to lead you prayerfully into a heart experience of Divine Presence, Who is Love. While it focuses on Christian teaching, the writer hopes persons of other faiths find inspiration here. Indeed, "God" can be whatever image helps you trust in the Sacred, by whatever means Grace touches you. Please share this ministry with others, and I hope you return soon. There is a new offering daily.
Blessings,
Rev Dr Brian K Wilcox
Ecumenical Pastor-Teacher, Author, Workshop Leader,
Spiritual Counselor, Chaplain
OPENING PRAYER
Holy Ghost, with light divine,
Shine upon this heart of mine;
Chase the shade of night away,
Turn my darkness into day.
Let me see my Savior's face,
Let me all His beauties trace;
Show those glorious truths to me
Which are only known to Thee.
Holy Ghost, with pow'r divine,
Cleanse this guilty heart of mine;
Long has sin, without control,
Held dominion o'er my soul.
Holy Ghost, with joy divine,
Cheer this saddened heart of mine;
Bid my many woes depart,
Heal my wounded, bleeding heart.
Holy Spirit, all divine,
Dwell within this heart of mine;
Cast down every idol throne,
Reign supreme, and reign alone.
See, to Thee I yield my heart,
Shed Thy life through every part;
A pure temple I would be,
Wholly dedicate to Thee.
*Andrew Reed (1787-1862)
LISTENING TO THE SCRIPTURES
5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles.
*I Corinthians 15.5-7 (NLT)
RECEIVING SACRED TEACHING
Timothy Keller, in The Reason for God, speaks of his affirmation of the physical resurrection of Christ, against those who use specious, weak scholarship to turn the resurrection into a vague inner experience, not a historical and physical event, or those who believe that the resurrection is no more than a hoax. It is, as he says: "If it happened, it changes our lives completely."
* * *
A Sunday School teacher asked her class on the Sunday before Easter if they knew what happened on Easter and why it was so important. One little girl spoke up saying: "Easter is when the whole family gets together, and you eat turkey and sing about the pilgrims and all that." "No, that’s not it," said the teacher.
"I know what Easter is," a second student responded. "Easter is when you get a tree and decorate it and give gifts to everybody and sing lots of songs." "Nope, that’s not it either," replied the teacher.
Finally, a third student spoke up, "Easter is when Jesus was killed, and put in a tomb and left for three days."
"Ah, thank goodness somebody knows," the teacher thought to herself. But the student went on: "Then, everybody gathers at the tomb and waits to see if Jesus comes out, and if he sees his shadow he has to go back inside and we have six more weeks of winter."
* * *
What does the Bible have to say about Easter? What is Easter to you? What really happened? Why is it important for Christians? What implications does Easter have for the world?
Easter, like all the great Feasts of the Church, can mean many things, and it means as much as we are ready to see, sense into, and receive. If we have walked with Jesus this week, now we are ready to celebrate the Mystery of Easter. We are prepared to experience Easter as we have in the past, but more fully than before.
Bruce Larson reminds us of the spirit of Easter - that Easter is about a personal encounter with a living Jesus Christ:
The events of Easter cannot be reduced to a creed or philosophy. We are not asked to believe the doctrine of the resurrection. We are asked to meet this person raised from the dead. In faith, we move from belief in a doctrine to the knowledge of a person. Ultimate truth is a person. We meet him. He is alive.
* * *
Still, while Easter is about truly knowing Christ, such does not make the knowing anti-creedal. The Church offered creeds to protect the faith and offer instruction. They did not set out to create a faith based on creeds. They did not intend the creeds to make persons into automatons affirming the truths of the Life of Christ, apart from knowing the Christ personally. And the foundational creeds affirm the physical resurrection of Christ, even as the New Testament does.
Still, to remember Easter as a historical is not enough. This happening we call Easter entails potential to know Easter in oneself and among ourselves in a mystical Sense - as an ineffable Mystery.
Your way of experiencing the truth of Easter may be different from another person. This Easter, simply and prayerfully give time and attention to sense into Easter in a new, fresh, and more full way than ever before.
Easter is the awakening of divine life in us. "Christ is risen!" is not merely the cry of historical witnesses. It is the cry of all the people of God throughout the centuries who have realized Christ rising in them, not only in the form of emotional enthusiasm, but in the form of unshakable conviction. The light of Christ reveals the fact of our abiding union with him and its potential to transform every aspect of our lives.
*Thomas Keating. The Mystery of Christ.
Blessings!
Rev Dr Brian K. Wilcox
Easter
April 12, 2009
QUIETLY RESPONDING
1. What are memories you cherish of past Easters?
3. What is Easter to you as a spiritual experience?
* * *
*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian K. Wilcox, of SW Florida. Brian lives a vowed life and with his two dogs, Bandit Ty and St. Francis. Brian is an ecumenical spiritual leader, open to how Christ manifests in the diversity of Christian denominations and varied religious-spiritual traditions. He is Senior Chaplain for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, Punta Gorda, FL.
*Brian welcomes responses to his writings or submission of prayer requests at barukhattah@embarqmail.com .
*Contact the above email to book Brian for Spiritual Direction, retreats, or workshops. You can order his book An Ache for Union at major book dealers.
*The story is from Andrew Chan. The quote of Larson is from Scott Sharpes. Both are from www.sermoncentral.com .
|
