I went to church at Easter. It was a perplexing, emotional experience. My relationship with the Catholic church is a fraught one. But one thing I got out of the service was how the story of the Resurrection is one that can resonate no matter whether you believe a bloke called Jesus died at some point in history and then miraculously rose again. I also loved that someone played the cello. Beats an organ. Pretty much anything does.
The priest at the church I visited – St Kevin’s in Bangalow – trod the line so well in his telling of the Easter story. He allowed it to also be interpreted as one of metaphorical death and rebirth (he didn’t invite it, but cleverly used the homily to show how it can be received in the everyday). Even if you believe in the literal version of things (Jesus did actually come back to life after bleeding to death on a cross), what I imagine you – we all – get out of it is a broad message that everything dies and everything comes back, albeit as another form, and that there are lessons to be taken from this process. We acknowledge the sins that Christ died for. So that we can continue our earthly experience with some goodness going on.
I came across this BRILLIANT read about why Easter resists commercialism on Slate yesterday. It addresses the Resurrection. It’s worth reading. James Martin writes:
Well, for one thing, it’s hard to make a palatable consumerist holiday out of Easter when its back story is, at least in part, so gruesome. Christmas is cuddly. Easter, despite the bunnies, is not.
Indeed, Jesus is betrayed by his best mate, killed brutally, then rises from the dead. Also, the Resurrection is hard to come to terms with.
What does the world do with a person who has been raised from the dead? Christians have been meditating on that for two millenniums. But despite the eggs, the baskets, and the bunnies, one thing we haven’t been able to do is to tame that person, tame his message, and, moreover, tame what happened to him in Jerusalem all those years ago.
Ergo, he says commercialism kind of side-steps Easter. No cards, no Easter movies, no shopping.
Easter demands a response, he says.
If you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, this has profound implications for your spiritual and religious life—really, for your whole life. If you believe the story, then you believe that Jesus is God, or at least God’s son. What he says about the world and the way we live in that world then has a real claim on you.
Easter is an event that demands a “yes” or a “no.” There is no “whatever.”
I sort of agree. But sort of not. I personally believe that Jesus the man existed. He was an outstanding man, with a lot of insight into the human condition. But that many of the stories surrounding his life were metaphors that have morphed into literal translations. Just my belief, and I don’t think they diminish the power of the messages, which are extraordinarily beautiful and true.
“Christ died for our sins”…I believe “Christ” is within all of us in that there is no separation between you, me, and the consciousness that EVERYTHING emerges from. And so I believe a part of us does die before we rise again into a new phase, a new opening, a new humanity. What dies is our ignorance. This is what I take sin to mean.
There must be death before renewal. And there must be sacrifice. And there must be awakening.
I hope I don’t offend anyone by giving my take. I think the Easter story is a beautiful one. And I’m VERY glad there are no Easter elves, or Easter MYER windows.
I love this blog, but I cannot agree with this post. The idea of death before life is wonderful and yes, the Judeo-Christian story of Easter is ripe with conflict and redemption. The only problem is that that is just one take on it. What about the much older pagan fertility rituals of spring on which Easter is based (the name itself comes from the name of a fertility goddess, Eostre)? What about it being a simple celebration of joy that the cycle of the year, of life and death, has continued?
Also, I don’t think Easter has escaped commercialism, at least not in the US: we have egg dying kits, chocolate bunnies, commercial baskets, movies like Hop, and let us not forget the evil and omnipresent Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Every year, since I was 14 (when my dad married my step-mom who is a devout Catholic) we have made a basket and gone to church to hear the story of the Resurrection told. It never really resonated with me, because I am not Catholic and do not believe in Jesus or the Resurrection. This year, we abandoned that tradition, and instead, my boyfriend, his father and I threw a big Easter lunch for our friends and family with much of the produce coming from the garden in our backyard. This was the best celebration of the holiday I could’ve imagined. The only thing sacrificed was holding on to a ritual for the sake of tradition and we gained more togetherness than in any of the years prior.
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April 26th, 2011 at 12:42 pm
Melody, a great perspective. I think what you describe still picks up on some of the “new life” inherent in the resurrection tale. Whatever our take on it, I think the message has value and hasn’t been lost to (rampant) commercialism. Granted there are bunnies etc…but it’s not like Christmas…
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I’m sorry to say it but in the USA we can package and sell anything and Easter has long been capitalized.
But I also enjoy the ritual and story with out the religion behind it and enjoyed this post.
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I really enjoyed your take on the Easter story and I think you have captured and expressed how lots of people feel and think about it.
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i relate to a lot of this- being raised in a strict protestant religion and now removing myself from so much of that yet still wanting to walk with God. So this path to find my way- it’s long and confusing and the only way to really stand a chance at experiencing this whole God thing. I believe it’s worth it.
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I loved this post, I almost didn’t read it as I thought it was going to be a religious take on easter – instead it was a beautiful! I must agree with the others, I find Easter to be very commercial (in Australia) even though it has more limitations than Christmas. I wish people wouldn’t blindly accept from these companies what they should buy for each occasion. Instead create their own new traditions that do not require spending and ignoring all the problems we have in this world, whether they be a human, animal or environmental…there are so many and a lot is driven by this relentless consumerism. If each of us could live conscious lives and thinking through all our actions, we would be happier.
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I liked the part where James Martin compared wearing crucifixes to having a hooded Abu Graib victim around your neck. Apart from that he missed the point entirely – Easter eggs, buns and bunnies were in the stores starting December. That’s LAST YEAR, people!
The Easter story always scared the crap out of me as a child. The angry God, the torture and murder, the betrayal, the idea that humans throughout history are sinful and awful and the only way to appease the vengeful God was blood sacrifice… I still shudder. I love the idea that people can find good out of this, and find something worth celebrating in the idea, however I dont think I can erase a childhood of negativity from my mind successfully enough to make this happen.
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Even in Australia Easter is fraught with capitalism. No movies thank goodness, unless you count the Ten Commandments that seems to come on every year. But the chocolate eggs for heaven’s sake start appearing as soon as the Christmas season is over.
I don’t agree with the “yes or no” concept either. At the homily given at my catholic church mass on Easter Sunday the priest dwelled on this exactly, saying that there is “I know” at one end and “I believe” at the other and people can fall anywhere in between.
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April 26th, 2011 at 12:44 pm
You have a refreshing priest…perhaps religion will eventually catch up and drop the draconian attitude…>?!
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I enjoyed reading this post very much, you have expressed many of my own thoughts about Easter and Christian beliefs, especially the idea that Christ (or God, whoever that is for each person) is the spirit inside every one of us. This is what connects us to each other and striving to be the best person we can be is the way we honour and respect that spirit.
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Hey Sarah,
really great blog. Well done. I was shocked and a little Awkward by the amount of Easter Card displays that filled every coles and wollies I went to in the Easter lead up. Big Business will do anything to cash in on sacred days. Or non sacred. I avoid the shops at Haloween and cringe the day we see Anzac Greeting Cards or an attempt at an Aus Thanksgiving.
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April 26th, 2011 at 12:46 pm
At my Woolies the main thing I noticed was a kids’ colouring-in competition – pics of bunnies everywhere. Sure there were eggs and bunnies and buns. But I DO think Easter remains a simple celebration with some chocolate etc for kids. I don’t think there is too much more hoopla than that…
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I always say “I love Jesus but I can’t stand his followers” it’s a bit tongue n cheek but what I’m essentially saying is that Jesus’ marketing department is pretty rubbish. Ask anyone non-religious about religion and I bet you get more negative than positive, ironic because the fundamental message of Jesus is love and that’s pretty positive.
Resurrection is a great message, basically, stripped of the religious flavor, the invitation through resurrection to me is; when you think that things in your life are dead, that there’s no hope, when things are broken and can’t be fixed, when life feels meaningless, it’s in that place where Jesus says “I have risen!”. There is new beginnings where there is death, embracing that notion is where freedom and hope are found.
Anyhowzen, Rob Bell sums it up better on my blog here http://adamcordner.com/2011/03/07/jesus-no-religion-simple/
I didn’t read the part in the bible about the Easter bunny or chocolate eggs, but I know this. Do not eat the little eggs that bunnies lay, they are NOT chocolate.
Good post Sarah
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April 27th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
…and don’t eat the yellow snow
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Beautiful blog Sarah! You have mirrored my own beliefs exactly. I was also raised Catholic and attended Easter Mass on Sunday morning with my husband and little ones. Unfortunately, the priest at our local church is extremely unprogressive and very hard to listen to so the whole thing was quite uninspiring. Also, the church was packed so we ended up listening from outside, right at the back and spent the majority of the time having chit-chat with our mates who had also arrived late. Still, it’s nice to gather with a large community crowd (religious or otherwise) on these special days. It marks the occasion and creates tradition for the children.
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Oh and Sarah, your take on the Easter message is great, Jesus meant his life to be interpreted and questioned, that’s where you hear God, well I do, and he doesnt sound like Morgan Freeman.
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April 26th, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Hey Adam,
i always love what you bring to the blog, and particularly again today.
thank you xx
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April 26th, 2011 at 11:17 pm
Thanks Jo
I worry that I’m a bit out there sometimes, I’m glad you like my rants
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Sarah, I love this paragraph:
“Christ died for our sins”…I believe “Christ” is within all of us in that there is no separation between you, me, and the consciousness that EVERYTHING emerges from. And so I believe a part of us does die before we rise again into a new phase, a new opening, a new humanity. What dies is our ignorance. This is what I take sin to mean.
Beautiful and wise.
I am not religious. Despite being raised Catholic I could not bare to condone a Catholic celebration (if that is the appropriate term), knowing the tragedies that the Catholic establishment has been (and continues to be) responsible for. I have a cousin who was molested by a Catholic priest as a boy, and if only that was the end of it. Throughout history the Catholic faith has been responsible for atrocities we can not imagine. In my opinion ‘they’ continue to create more harm than good in this World. If I had my way the Pope would personally bless several tonnes of condoms before having them dropped as care packages all over Africa – just for starters. But I digress.
Thanks for making me think Sarah; in a different, more optimistic direction. For that I can be thankful.
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April 26th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Hey Lara
You sum up alot of what people think about the Catholic religion and I agree. The odd thing for me is the irony, I grew up in without religion and my mother in an atheist. I followed a pretty girl church(now my girlfriend), but when I got there God showed up! Ruined all my plans! I decided to read the bible without people in my ear, without a priest leading me or any other influence. What I found was astonishing, that this Jewish rabbi came to free us from the grips of religion so that we can love humanity unconditionally. So the irony is Jesus came to break religion and we end up building a religion on the back of that, WTF?
I interpret that as Jesus saying “it’s not about keeping the rules, it’s about breaking them for loves sake, and the path to enlightenment is loving humanity by giving yourself like I have given myself to you, unconditionally.” that means he loves us all, gay, Muslim, criminal, Atheist but to follow Jesus we must love those who He loves, and thats hard.
You don’t have to be religious to follow Jesus, you just have to show unconditional love to humanity and you’re doing what he asked.
When ever you are moved to compassion Jesus is challenging you to go there and love. The good samaritan wasn’t a Christian or catholic, he was hated by the Jews and treated like a foreigner, but he was moved by compassion and Jesus makes an example of him when a religious leader quizzes him about how to love thy neighbor. It’s funny that the good deed is done by someone outside religion.
Jesus and religion and like oil and water.
Compassion, commonsense and conviction are in us for a reason, listen when you feel them. Is it possible that it’s Jesus speaking from within us?
Keep thinking, always question and listen
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April 26th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
I really liked your vid Adam, for some reasons I kept getting errors when I tried to like it on your site. So I shall like it here.
Wouldnt it be awesome if religion DID have more to do with Jesus though? I really dig the idea that we can be non consumers, we can choose not to marry, we can love one another just because, we can hate greed and corruption, and we can believe in humanity above all else. I believe – and this is somewhat controversial – that Jesus wouldnt be a fan of Christmas and would be shocked and horrified that the abuse of children was allowed to continue in his name. And thoroughly disgusted at the amount of material wealth hoarded at the Vatican, but thats an entirely different story.
Funnily enough, the thing that annoyed me about religion as a child was that nobody ever emphasized that we were ALL sons and daughters of God, not just Jesus. We are all one and all the same. Im still smiling at my 6 yr old interpretation of it all… probably more accurate than I could come up with nowadays! As Carl Sagan says, we are all star stuff harvesting star light.
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April 27th, 2011 at 12:02 am
Hi Mia
I’m totally with you, Jesus would flip at some of the traditions of Christmas and Easter. It’s funny how we’ve come so far from the original symbolism of death and rebirth, a very natural thing. The religious people in Jesus’ time set up stalls and where selling doves and birds to sacrifice at the alter, essentially profiting from people’s faith. When Jesus saw this is was so upset that he trashed the place, the scripture says he made a whip! He was against anything that diluted or diverted from the message, Jesus was an observant Jew and partook in all the traditions passed down from rabbi to rabbi, but challenged those traditions when it stood in the way of love, like healing on the Shabbat (sabbath), that was controversial.
Kids get it so right, it’s funny how we’re intrinsically quizzical about God and stuff as a kid. If you look at trivial things like, war, drugs, pornography, politics from a childs point of view you have to wonder how do we get it so wrong.
Maybe celebrating Easter and Christmas like a child would restore it’s original meaning.
Kids are rad! Innocence is precious and truth protects it.
April 27th, 2011 at 12:28 am
Kids ARE rad! I think we spend half our lives trying to grow up, and the later half trying to re-learn everything we lost in the process that came naturally as children.
I believe Jesus was also prone to acts of rage against money lenders? He seemed to have the anti-greed thing down. I love it. The idea that it has been SO diluted upsets me if I think about it too much… so I just try to be the message as much as possible. Of course its a very lofty ambition and Im far from being like him, Im still learning, as are we all. Hence me not being a messiah in this life, sadly! I’d be the life of the party if I had that water into wine thing going. That would be awesome.
Latin America seems to have a much nicer idea of death. I did some reading on Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and they view death as simply another part of the journey. Children play with skeleton dolls and celebrate the day of the dead with love and thankfulness for knowing their deceased loved ones, its a really beautiful idea. It’s all very positive, not scary.
Sarah, why did you decide to go to church on Easter Sunday?
Oh & way back when the calendar year only had 9 months, I think you would actually find Jesus is a Piscean, not a Capricorn – Tuesday trivia.
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A great post Sarah, I too grappled with what Easter means to me and how I could honour and celebrate this weekend, so I blogged and invited others to share their thoughts with me. I found it really useful to get my thoughts and questions down and I was able to move forward with the weekend feeling like I had done my bit this year, in just asking the questions and opening to my truth about Easter. I also love your take on the christ energy, I share the same kind of view, and the idea of sins and ignorance being one and the same thing is a new concept to me, one which makes sense, though I never grew up with the concept of sin according to the church. Thanks for sharing
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I read this post this morning but only now have been able to come back and leave a comment. The post has been enriched by the thoughtful opinions and the graceful way they are shared on this blog. A lovely community rich with thoughtfulness, consideration and willingness to be challenged has grown here.
I am not catholic but have chosen to send my children to a Catholic school. On Easter Sunday (appropriately) my friend and I were having a conversation on the same themes and ideas you have shared in your post (although we weren’t as eloquent). What I value most about the school community and by extension the church community that my children (and I) are now part of is how the focus has shifted from the literal focus from the religion to how we live every day.
FYI… I am always left with much to ponder when I hear Scott Stephens the editor of the ABC religion site talk, here is a link if anyone is interested. http://www.abc.net.au/religion/
PS We drove past St. Kevins on out return journey from Coffs to Brisbane and commented on the position on top of the hill and the name. Bangalow is now my go to spot for morning tea when we are trekking up and down the coast, the village or town square is perfect for my family to sit, eat and revive ourselves (bonus if I get a quick look into one the shops).
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Isn’t it funny that Christmas celebrates a birth of a good Jewish boy and Easter commemorates his death, so the two most important Christian holidays are dedicates to a Jew? And in some respect to his good Jewish mama. Never mind who the father was.
And the point whether Christ was betrayed by his best friend is a moot one, as if it wasn’t for Judas act – there would not be crucifiction, no resurrection and thus no Christian religion. May be instead of being vilified Judas should be thanked.
Please read “THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT” by Stephen Aldy Guirgis. The basic premise of the story is this: If everything is pre-ordained by God, then how can Judas possibly be guilty? If God KNEW Judas would be the betrayer of Jesus, then he was framed, and should not be one of the most reviled figures in history.
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April 28th, 2011 at 11:31 am
I like when people question and actually read scripture and literature surrounding the controversial Jew, its where truth comes from, like a scientist looking for something not found yet (like string theory) .
Judas was never guilty though, he couldn’t forgive himself, but no where was it written that he was going to hell or that Jesus judged him, he was loved to the end, the same way everyone is loved by God regardless of dumb decisions.
We may treat Judas like a criminal but Jesus called him brother, washed his feet and broke bread with him knowing all along the choice he would make.
Judas is just like us.
When we turn from that voice in us, like when someone on the street asks for change and we don’t give it because we make an excuse in our heads like “he’ll only use it for booze” we are denying love and we’re judging, or when we see injustice and turn the other way, that is betraying love and apparently God is love.
God knew what Judas would do but choice is a divine gift that is for us alone to use. If God made our choices for us we couldn’t love. Think about it, can you convince someone into actually loving you?
Jesus hung on a cross because of the choices of men (religion, the government and status quo in this case) , but he was on that cross because of the love he had for the world.
Before Jesus died on that cross he expressed his forgiveness for everyone who chose to condemn him, he comforted and expressed his love for the criminal hanging next to him. Even though he was in tremendous pain and suffering he was thinking about us. At no point did he judge anyone, he just loved them. Just before he died he called out to his Dad like a child. Not the typical actions of someone betrayed on death-row.
Judas was a metaphor for the world and you can rely on the world to make poor choices, it was in his nature to do this.
Jesus died so that Judas, the Taliban, people from Mosman, Gays, Hindus, politicians, McDonald’s trainee managers, you and me and all humanity know that they are loved unconditionally by God all inclusive and irrespective of our choices.
Jesus doesn’t hate Judas so why do we?
Apparently, according to Jesus’ teaching, we’re supposed to love the Judas’ of the world, free of judgment and hate.
(I write this not from a religious perspective, I just read the Bible a lot, Jesus’ teaching contradict loads of religious ideals because Jesus despised the religious, not making it up, it’s all in there).
Lastly, no one here on this blog made the point “whether Christ was betrayed by his best friend is a moot one”, where did that come from, do you want to talk about it?
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April 28th, 2011 at 11:42 am
Adam,
In the original posting it is said “Indeed, Jesus is betrayed by his best mate”. Also, that breaking of bread business. There was no bread at the last supper, it was Passover dinner, bread is not allowed for 8 days during Passover.
They were eating matzo. So the gospels should say “Jesus took matzo, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body”
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April 28th, 2011 at 12:07 pm
Hi ?
Love it! Great insight, I’m reading up on Jewish customs at the moment.
Cheers
Adam
Actually the story of Easter (the true story without eggs and bunnies) is a beautiful story – yes there is betrayal and pain and bloodshed, however, it is a love story. It is the story of how God loved us enough to send His perfect Son (who of us could give up our child?) to be a sacrifice for, not only all the sin of the world from the beginning until the end of time, but for our healing – spiritually, emotionally and physically. Jesus took all this upon Himself for us, so we could have relationship with God. I have experienced all this healing. I am healed of Graves Disease, without drugs – yes I’ve changed my diet – no wheat or dairy – and included certain foods and supplements to heal the thyroid etc. But I know that many people have been praying for my healing and I’ve been given the strength to completely change my diet and a peace to deal with the anxiety and symptoms, and this has all happened in less than 6 months. The message of Easter isn’t about religion but about a relationship between us and our Creator.
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