Tag: resurrection

The Living Jesus

YouTube: The Living Jesus

Today is the day the Christian world celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As we think of what this means, most of us will probably respond from the first of two questions Jesus put to his disciples: Who do people say that I am? The last few years, I have focused on his second question: Who do you say that I am?

It occurs to me that the field of Christian belief is like the one of which Jesus spoke in his parable of the hidden treasure. In one sense, this field is owned by the established mainstream. They have clearly posted its boundaries with no trespassing signs, such as the Apostle’s Creed. Alternative views are not welcome in this field. The remedy to avoiding the trespass was recommended by Jesus. Purchase the field. Make it yours. Who do you say Jesus is?

As you know, my answer is Jesus was a mystic, a simple teacher who taught my connection with God was an internal and inseparable one. This was probably as radical a message to the mainstream Jew of his day as it is to the mainstream Christian of ours. I no longer require the larger-than-life, water-walking icon that others said I needed. I’ve especially taken note when Jesus asked the rich young man why he called him good. “Only God is good” (Mark 10:18). The mystic is good as asking thought-provoking questions.

One of the first steps we take toward purchasing the field is to begin selling everything we own. In this case, we’re talking about our beliefs. We have each, in our own way, bought into the belief systems of others that we have held as our own, perhaps more out of a sense of safety in numbers. Conviction varied. I got in touch with some of these possessions when I began asking myself this question: If I learned that Jesus never even existed, would it change my faith? Would it alter my quest for deeper understanding? Though I don’t question his existence, I do know that my faith in God does not depend on the narrative that has grown up around Jesus.

For me, the most important resurrection that I celebrate, is the resurrection of my own soul. This, I believe, is the truth that Jesus knew would set us free.

The Resurrection Principle

YouTube: The Resurrection Principle

It is common today to hear people say they are pursuing a spiritual rather than a religious path. Religion, they say, is too restrictive in its scope, that the spiritual perspective allows us to lay aside the preconceived doctrine of the organized church and take a more intuitive and natural approach. I believe Jesus agreed, as he challenged many enshrined rules of Judaism while highlighting the spiritual truth behind the teaching.

I believe if he were alive today, he would call attention to the spiritual truth behind the resurrection story of Easter.   

“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

He spoke of the need to be born again, to replace old wineskins with new, to “sell” our current belief system and purchase a field containing treasure, to become as trusting as a child who is not yet loaded down with spiritual preconceptions. All of this points to the need for a revamped and revitalized understanding of our spiritual nature. To be born again is the process of releasing our limited seed-self, that part of our thinking that so identifies with the body that we lose sight of the truth that we are spiritual rather than physical beings.  

From a metaphysical perspective, the crucifixion represents the death of the mortal and the resurrection of the immortal. The immortal soul has always been with us but becomes lost in our personal human quagmire.

How do we consciously resurrect the soul so that it may become the guiding feature of our daily thinking? First and foremost, we begin with the understanding that the soul, as forgotten as it may be, is still fully intact and unscathed even by our most negative thinking or thoughtless acts of unkindness. Our spiritual journey is not about developing or improving the soul but recovering our awareness of it. Our natural desire to do this indicates that we are already picking up on our soul’s natural radiance. Before they call, I will answer, is the soul’s position. We affirm, as Meister Eckhart did, that that which we are looking for is that which is doing the looking.

The Resurrection Principle is at work now. The old way of thinking of yourself is passing right now, and the new light and life of your soul is shining forth. Hold this vision for yourself.