Edditorial:
For the Christian community, Easter is the most holy of holy days.
Christians celebrate the Holy Week with Good Friday, the day Christ entered Jerusalem and the crowds greeted him by waving palms and covering his path with palm branches. Maundy Thursday is symbolic of the Last Supper after which Christ is betrayed by one of his disciples.
Today is Good Friday. Publicly humiliated, mocked, beaten, forced to carry his own cross through town He is hung upon that cross where he gives his body for man and the original sin of Adam and Eve. This creates a “new covenant between God and his people.”
Easter Sunday is celebration of the resurrection of Christ from his grave symbolizing new beginnings, a path to everlasting peace, and a new bond with God.
As we learn in Church through sermon and study, during this Holy Week, there are many paths to God and that there is room and understanding of these paths through different religions. Sadly these teachings are not universally understood. We find ourselves caught up in conflicts and wars based on religious differences.
Again, sadly this week we witnessed religion being invoked by the Indiana State legislature when they passed and signed into law The Religious Freedom Restoration Act signed by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.
Whereas the law does not directly discriminate against Gays or Lesbians it does allow for private businesses to invoke their religious beliefs which could legalize discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. As more states have legalized same-sex marriage, opponents have pushed back with religious freedom laws.
In our studies we have never once read where Jesus discriminated against one person over another. He reached out to women accused of adultery, a tax collector, a leper, anyone who believed in the word of God. This is the meaning of Easter of restoring of new life, a re-connection with God, embracing mankind. This is why we celebrate Easter.
Easter is a celebration that is not confined to the Christian community but a celebration for all people. It is symbolized by the bunny and the egg which reflects a new life, a new start, family, and spring time.
Let us take the time and reflect on the meaning of Easter and embrace this meaning. We live in a world of many different religions, many different beliefs and many different people. We need to embrace our differences in order to make our world a better place to live.