Life after life

Every life story, the "little me" story, is ultimately unsatisfactory. - Eckhart Tolle

I am writing this message on Good Friday, the day that recalls the story of Jesus crucifixion and death. From the mortal mind, it is hard to see any good in this event; rather it appears to be a monumental tragedy! How else could you see it? Jesus, the great messiah, this benevolent wise master of life, at the peak of his powerful ministry betrayed by his closest friends and followers leading to embarrassment, humiliation, degradation, enormous suffering and ultimately death. This great enlightened one among men, who offered immense hope to humanity, embodied unimaginable love, compassion, extraordinary healing prowess, the quintessence of a truly good leader that could lead the world out of darkness....snuffed out!

From the "little me" perspective, that looks at the apparent facts, it is not a satisfying story. It leaves us yearning for an explanation, demanding an answer to make sense of this great loss. From this perspective, Jesus is seen as victim, and the world suffered a great loss that day in Golgotha.

This tendency to view life as tragic or at least unsatisfactory is in every one of us. Every one of us might look at our own lives, and say it is not satisfying; it didn't work out the way it should have; it's not the life we imagined, something failed, something went horribly wrong, it shouldn't have happened.

There is another way to see life. The enlightened perspective never comes to those who look at life myopically. As Cervantes said, facts are the enemy of the truth. Jesus called this enlightened perspective, "being born from above," and told the disciple, Peter that human sight does not reveal the reality of who we are. The facts of Jesus death and tomb also temporarily blinded Mary Magdalene from seeing the Christ that could not be contained in the ground.

If we are to see beyond the darkness of tragedy, loss or a life that seems to have gone wrong, we must rely on inner illumination, the "light that enlightens every man (woman) who enters the world." Through the light of spiritual understanding, we can perceive reality beyond appearances, and behold a life that retains possibility, purpose, and promise.

The Easter story proclaims that Jesus resurrected from bodily death. Amongst believers, this is non-controversial and accepted as true, while some question whether this is a factual event. Honestly, it doesn't really matter to my faith. What matters is that I step back from the appearances of life, and recognize the enduring power of love, and the irrepressible life force that is undeniably present in this precious instant that is my life. I can see it in nature, especially in the Spring landscape revival. I can feel its presence like a wave of peace when I accept life on its terms. I make way for love to arise in me when I'm able to suspend judgment of someone or something. In such moments of openhearted clarity, I can fully embrace the notion that nothing can contain Life's onward impulse, nor entomb love's power.

Jesus knew he (and we) would have trials and tribulations, and warned us not to judge by appearances. Superficial appraisal of life situations lead to dissatisfaction because it is outer focused. We cannot satisfy our deep soul needs through outer conditions no matter how "happy" they might appear. It is only in building our inner awareness of Life and Love through sincere spiritual practice that we can hope to endure the trials of life with our faith and "good cheer" intact. As we accumulate a deeper appreciation for life, we will stop looking for the "living among the dead," stop regretting our past or looking to an imagined future for our happiness.

Life situations are part of the changeable landscape of our lives; they are not the eternal Life we have in God. Life cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore, we can release all forms, no matter how precious to us, and still have a life, even an abundant life, as Jesus promised and demonstrated. There's life after divorce. There's life after a major illness. There's life after job loss or bankruptcy. There's life after the death of a loved one. Will it be difficult, or painful? Perhaps. Yet life continues, and offers us new opportunities to express the irrepressible life and love within us. Jesus legacy to us is to remember that we don't need to stay in the tomb. We too can be lifted as Jesus was lifted up, and we too can bear witness to the Christ spirit that lives on through it all!

Happy Easter.