EASTER

See Poem: "Easter Morning"

The parable of resurrection has haunted Christianity,
for it offers a form of hope of a future after death;
a proof, if true as written, of human immortality.
It is a desire foundational to most religions.

Yet the stories written in the Bible conflict,
each denying the veracity of the other,
and none providing a credible account.

The stories have been built-up to support clerical needs;
the desire of the widow to meet their loved one again;
eternal existence if the Christian path is followed;
the value of the church as the gateway to eternity.

Yet truly all that was resurrected after the death of Jesus
was the remembrance of the new life that he had proclaimed;
the vision of his teaching and the impulse to promote it.

PENTECOST

The Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 2.
There was said to be wind and fire, symbolic of the divine presence.
Voices came in their mother tongue; unearthly,supernatural!
"How could this be?" they asked.
And Peter, the eternal leader, replied;
presented a message culled from scripture
crafted and polished, untenably,
to meet the theology current
at the time of writing.

The impractical nature of the account identifies its purpose and reality.
Hereby, in a time when powerful bishops were claiming local autonomy,
the Judah-based church claimed authority over Christianity.

So the tale truthfully presents another story.
During a festival in which all Jews assembled in Jerusalem,
Peter achieves acceptance of the Messianic claims of Jesus
and the basic concept of sharing possessions is endorsed.

It tells the tale of the embryo church
forcing an inclusive persepective,
despite the views of others.

Inclusion
by discarding the separating power of language.
Liberation
by circumventing the powerful religious elites
who keep access to God at arm's length;
Liberation
by meeting God in a secular, environment
Liberation
by transforming the transcendent God
into immanence

The story of Pentecost is not a literal record of events,
but a claim to global authority over the emerging church
which also sketches the democratic basis of Christianity.

GOOD FRIDAY (close)

Widows weeds bedeck the mourning congregation
Jews walk fearful throughout the Christian world
This is the day that Christ was crucified, betrayed,
died according to the legends.

Christ was arrested, condemned, was crucified
an object lesson to disturbers of the Roman peace
a focus for the rising tide of national revolution
but his disciples fled, hid, fearful of the same
Could not face a similar situation
not ready to die for Jesus
yet.

Our literal mindset takes firm hold of improbable minutae
analyses, yet fears to discard what seems untrue.
Maybe we can see the bible's contradictions
and realise that all can not be right,
unless it is not meant to be
a literal account.

Our sacraments arise from the memories
of those who did not witness the events described
yet describe in detail what should have happened then
for their leader, rabbi, teacher, friend, had died,
fulfilling the purposes of a loving God,
as a sacrifice, not an execution;
not the shame of crucifixion,
surely.

CHRISTMAS (close)

Joy to the world?

A celebration of midwinter and the start of longer days
became a celebration of the birth of Jesus, new light to the world,
but has become a celebration of consumerism, of excess, new possessions.

The message of the humility of a stable and visits by simple shepherds
has been replaced by presentation of impractical, unwanted, gifts,
endorsed by angelic choirs and a visit by three ancient kings.

The worship of descended divinity has trumped
the message of divinely inspired humanity
as 'joy' fails to destroy the poverty
of those who pluck the turkeys
for our consumption.

The conflict over theology between the message and worship of Christ,
within the early church and extant to this very day, is exposed
and the gospel of transcendent glory has triumphed
over that of humility and love and care.

No wonder many are turning back to the earlier story,
and the practical reality of midwinter
seen amidst the winter snow,
no longer.