Easter 2014

Easter arrived here with storms and gloom preparing the way for Palm Sunday. The weather wrought pain throughout my body making a restful night impossible. So no church today. Is it any wonder that I feel some sympathy, perhaps even empathy for Jesus Christ today?

The hurt doesn’t even begin to match what He went through, yet it does focus my thoughts on the events that happened nearly two thousand years ago in a less clinical way than usual. There has been a running thread of sympathy for Satan in popular culture ranging from Milton’s Paradise Lost to the Rolling Stones Sympathy for the Devil. Where is the sympathy for Jesus, I wonder?

For all its inaccuracy, gore and blood fetishism, The Passion of the Christ did attempt just that ten years ago and became a phenomenon as a result. But that was a unique occurrence that came out of an independent movement outside of the media mainstream and is not likely to be repeated. The chosen few who rule the culture have no interest in morals, commandments, and redemption. Religion is something to me mocked and suppressed at all turns now.

Getting back to Easter, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has an interesting page up on the meaning of Easter. I like how it is presented and think it well represents the fundamental rule of missionary work, which is to keep things uncomplicated, accurate, and loving. You won’t find fire and brimstone there for Christ’s mission was one of salvation, not damnation.

The live chat questions from that page are something I’d like to answer in this post, since they are rather good queries.

Why is Jesus Christ’s sacrifice significant to you?

If there is one thing I’ve learned in my four decades of being here on Earth it is that nothing good comes easily. Since we are all imperfect, we make mistakes no matter how much narcissistic denial is attempted. We also suffer from illness, sins, pains, betrayals, and loss while here.

Christ’s sacrifice is often thought of as the crucifixion part of the ordeal. Yet it was when He was at Gethsemane that He actually took on the pains of the world, not just the pain caused by sins. Knowing that Jesus experienced suffering in order to set the wheels in motion for our spiritual freedom keeps me a follower, to be perfectly honest.

It means He understands what being miserable is and isn’t some detached overlord watching us feeling no empathy during our trials. If Christ had just wandered in and waved a magic wand to enable the redemption of humanity, I’d feel little connection to Him.

How can you receive comfort in times of heartache?

The power of prayer is greater than most understand for one thing. Instead of dwelling on that let my talk about something else. It is having a role model that went through crushing misery to accomplish His important mission that stands out most to me. How many times have I wondered how I’d make it through a crisis when my having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and chronic pain made everything look impossible?

What would Jesus do? That reminder question was quite popular at one point and honestly I found it a superficial fad. However, looking at what He actually did and the obstacles He overcame is a good reminder to me to “man up.” Strength is to be gained through perseverance, not to mention the rewards of finishing a task. Knowing that good will come of a trial by the end makes it easier to bear.

I may not ever receive big blessings, but there have been quite a few small blessings that have allowed me to survive bad times. Those bad times are rather plentiful in my life so if you total them up, it becomes more blessings than I like to think about when I’m being an ungrateful wretch.

How does it make you feel to know Jesus Christ died for you?

Okay, this will be a very nonstandard answer. I can’t say it makes me feel special, since He did it for everyone, not just me or a select few. Also, I’m incapable of feeling loved other than in an intellectual understanding of the concept and observing people’s actions toward me. Therefore my gratitude isn’t an emotional response to His sacrifice. Instead it comes closer to a relief that the job was done, I didn’t have to do it for myself, and I’m included in the benefits.

Admiration for such selflessness is another thing that I feel and I wish I could be that perfectly altruistic. This is an unending project or at least it seems to be.

I hope that every person who reads this post can have a happy and reflective Easter, no matter what their beliefs. Try not to torture too many Peeps in the microwave!