A very glorious and happy spring, everybody!
As we now move into the energy and majesty of the spring,
this time falls on two very important holidays for members of the Jewish and
Christian faiths: Passover and Easter. Both are ripe with messages related to
freedom, renewal, resurgence, rebirth, and transformation. And both stories
derive their magnificence due to the intervention of the Divine; the Israelites
are able to survive the plagues and gain freedom from Egypt and Jesus
transcends death and absolves the world’s sins, both thanks to the intervention
and grace of God.
What I always have found so incredible about both of these
stories is not so much the presence of God’s miracles or his incredible power,
but rather the reaction and resistance of those who are bearing witness to
these events. In the Exodus story, it takes Moses 7 days of conversation with
God (via the Burning Bush) before he finally agrees to go back into Egypt, and
then only when God allows Aaron to serve as Moses’s voice. And once Moses
returns to Egypt, not only does Pharaoh ignore the wonders of God, but also so
do the Israelites. They doubt Moses event after witnessing such wonders, and
after crossing the Red Sea they immediately return to a state of sin and doubt
and disbelief. In the Easter story, Jesus encounters doubt and disbelief
throughout this entire ministry in spite of his many miracles and divine acts.
Even Peter claims to not know Jesus after his arrest, and denies his previous
association as one of his Disciples.
So what do we take away from these two ancient and profound
stories? Again, what I find so incredible is no matter how grand or raw or
absolutely indescribable God’s miracles are, his agents on Earth are still met
with disbelief and doubt. What does this tell us about the nature of humanity?
What I take away from these two stories is that it is very, very hard to open
ourselves up to the presence and power of the Divine. Or, perhaps to expand it
into a broader aspect of time, it is a very difficult thing to try and change
our belief systems or our actions, regardless of what we are being presented
with to the contrary. How many times do we find ourselves literally or
figuratively praying for some change in our life (Please help me find a better
job…Please help me get healthier…Please help me be free of this bad habit…etc.)
and when presented with the solution we become doubtful or
afraid and
consciously or unconsciously we choose not to change? How many times do we ask
for the Divine to intercede on our behalf but then panic when we feel something
in our lives change? It seems we have a tendency to want everything to change
while simultaneously wanting nothing to change. I want to be happier and have
more calmness in my life, but I refuse to live my life differently or change
how I approach the way I am living. I want to be free of disease but don’t want
to change my lifestyle or dietary habits. I want more free time and a more
peaceful day, but refuse to give up the job I hate because I don’t want to
downsize my house or lose my possessions.
I don’t mean this in a judgmental or critical way, as I know
I have been very guilty of this time and time again in my own life. Rather, I
mean this as a reflection on a pattern that we as a species appear to be
repeating over and over again. And why do we repeat this pattern of praying for
a miracle but turning our backs when our prayers appear to have been answered?
Because it is hard to change!!! Very hard! To truly change the way that the
Divine asks us to change is a transformation from our most fundamental and core
levels and flow outward into all other areas of our lives. Nobody lives in a
vacuum, and even a small change in one aspect of an individual’s life can have
dramatic effects on all areas of life.
So at this time of year when so many people around me are
celebrating Passover and Easter, what I try to take away from these spiritual
traditions is 1) True change is difficult to accept into our lives, and should
not be undertaken lightly. Before I ask for a change in my life, either from a
Divine or Earthly source, am I truly prepared to accept that change into my
life? 2) Am I fully in the present moment so that when a miracle occurs, or a
powerful shift or change is about to occur in my life, will I be able to even
recognize its presence or power? Do I allow the distractions of the world to
keep me from seeing the might and intervention of the Divine in my life, or do
I stay diligent in staying mindful and in the present moment so I am aware enough
see this change coming my way?
As we all now move into Spring and move through these two
lovely spiritual holidays, whether we celebrate them or not, there is so much
we can take away from the messages around us and enrich our own lives. With the
rebirth and resurgence of life happening throughout all of nature, this is a
ripe and perfect time to follow the example of the trees and flowers and
undergo our own rebirth and renewal. But as we do, are we ready for what shifts
and changes may come?
Be well!
