Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.

By Dr Ian Ellis-Jones ... Mindfulness Training
Contributor profile | More stories

Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

We Are Passing Through A Period Of Crucifixion

Tuesday, April 7, 2020 19:08

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.

We are in Holy Week. This year’s Holy Week has become ‘holed up’ week for most of us, at least the lucky ones.

The world today is passing through a period of crucifixion. The coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc almost everywhere. However, the message of Easter is that resurrection always follows crucifixion when there is faith, which for me means living with courage and confidence, despite any appearances to the contrary.

First, let me tell you what I can’t and don’t believe about Easter. I don’t believe that Jesus literally and bodily rose from dead. I like what the now retired but ever-iconoclastic and controversial Anglican bishop Dr David Jenkins said about that idea. He called the notion ‘a conjuring trick with bones.’ How wickedly funny, albeit irreverent.

I do, however, know this—Jesus rose spirituallyfrom the tomb. Punishment and death could not destroy the power of his personality and his spirit and his message. Jesus lives today, not so much in the lives of those who purport to follow him (most of whom show little or no resemblance in their daily lives to Jesus at all), but in the lives of those persons, the bulk of whom would not want to label themselves as Christians, who give constantly of themselves to others in practical service and self-sacrifice so that the troubles of suffering humanity might be relieved. At this dreadful time, I think especially of all the doctors, nurses and other health care professionals and workers in our hospitals and clinics. I think of those working in supermarkets and pharmacies. I think of many others as well. What service and self-sacrifice we are seeing? Sadly, we also see stupidity, selfishness and greed at work among far too many members of the public.

I now want to say a few words about what I refer to as the ‘macro’ and the ‘micro’ of the Easter story.

In a previous post I have written about the ‘macro’ of Easter, namely, that the Crucifixion is an ‘object lesson’ and acted parable or dramatization of the ongoing cosmic sacrifice—the self-limitation (crucifixion) of life itself—in which the spirit of life, the one absolute reality which antecedes all manifested things, ever descends into matter, ever offers itself, and ever gives of itself to itself in manifestation, so that life, in all of its multiplicity of forms, may be perpetuated. It is a mystery. It is a wonder. It is divine. What a tragic and terrible thing it is that conventional, mainstream Christianity has so totally literalized and carnalized this truly sublime myth, distorting—even destroying—its true meaning.

Now, the ‘micro’ of Easter. Easter, as we all know, is about dying and rising again. The end of every day is a ‘death’ of sorts. It is gone forever. Now, that is a very good thing, for if it were not to happen there could be no tomorrow. Every new day is a rising of sorts. But it’s even deeper than that. Every new moment is a new beginning—a resurrection of life. We must constantly ‘die’ and ‘rise again’ into newness of life. Most importantly, we must die to self each moment of the day if we wish to be free from the bondage of self. I have often said that we are in bondage to self. All our problems result from that. Freedom lies in constantly dying to self and being resurrected into newness of life. No, not even Jesus can do that for you, despite what some misguided people may have told you. You, and you alone, must do ‘it’ for yourself. You, the person among persons that you are, can and must break the bondage of self—the prison-house of self you have made for yourself—if you want to really become the real person you were destined to be.

Don’t seal in a tomb your faith, hope and love, not to mention your potential future. All too often we shut those important things in with a stone of indifference, despair and fear. We all need to roll away the stone and be resurrected into newness of life.

Easter is today, tomorrow, and every day. Easter is now.

Stay safe. Do the right thing. Follow the experts’ advice. Think of others, not just yourself.

Note. This post reproduces material contained in my previous post, ‘Beyond Traditional Religion: The Real Miracle of Easter’, which appeared on April 18, 2014. Some new material has been added.

RELATED POSTS

THE TRUE MEANING OF EASTER: THE ETERNAL COSMIC SACRIFICE

TRUE LIVING IS A PERPETUAL RESURRECTION

BEYOND TRADITIONAL RELIGION: THE REAL MIRACLE OF EASTER

Source: http://ianellis-jones.blogspot.com/2020/04/we-are-passing-through-period-of.html

Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!

Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser! Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover - Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Comments

Online:
Visits:	1,607,457,904
Stories:	8,162,139