Easter is a time to reflect, a time to re-commit, a time to celebrate, NOT a time to mourn. To fully understand this, it is important that we know or at least have an idea of the socio-political environment at the time of crucifixion, what happened, the role of our Master Jesus the Christ and the message of Easter.
At the time of the crucifixion the Roman conquerors ruled the Jews. Even though they ruled, they were in a state of fear and tumult because they realised that without the cooperation of the subjected race and the Council of the Sanhedrin, those in authority before they conquered the Jewish race, they could not hold down the conquered. Jesus was therefore seen as a threat to the State.
The trial of Jesus was a celebrated trial in the history of the world at that time and it went on for sometime. He was accused and regarded as a political agitator and a religious reformist who must be dreaded. At that period, crucifixion was the means of military execution by the governing body – the Romans. Unknown to them but known to our Lord Jesus the Christ, the crucifixion was according to the spiritual law and necessary for Jesus to fulfill his mission.
The events before, during and after the crucifixion gave the Master Jesus of Nazareth the opportunity to fulfill the great mission of the Master Christ in the world which is to embed that spirit of LOVE in the heart/bowels of the earth. Remember that love is life, and life is God. Therefore anyone who has divine love has received God. That divine love is without condition, without boundary, without change and it does not know colour, creed, tribe or gender. It wants nothing for itself because it is already full. That physical emblem of crucifixion was also used to bring a great knowledge to the world. The knowledge that the earth is not our home and that death does not exterminate us, because we are one with the force that gave us life. That was the message that the death on the cross signifies. What was it that Paul preached? ” I preach that He arose, that Christ is risen and that there is no death”. Jesus Christ demonstrated that physically by appearing before many people including his followers to prove to others that there is no death, that as Son of Man with the Christ within you, you cannot die. That Christ which is life, light, love and truth dwells in all God’s creation.
So, the message of Easter is for all humanity regardless of your religion. There were no Christians then, so it couldn’t have been for Christians alone. It has implications for all. “Love your neighbor as yourself and God above all is the greatest commandment to Man according to Jesus the Christ. It was not by accident that God created the Earth and Man and he gave us this greatest commandment that will ensure that we live together in prosperity and in harmony. As a US President once said “we are not defined by the colour of our skin, the figures on our pay cheque or the party of our politics. We are defined by our shared humanity – by our citizenship in this magnificent nation, and by the LOVE THAT FILLS OUR HEARTS”.
As we celebrate the fulfillment of the mission of our Master Divine, Jesus the Christ, let us use this period to reflect on this greatest commandment, the true meaning of selfless love and to re-commit ourselves to loving our neighbours as ourselves and God above all. In practice this means we should love, care and think of our fellow man before self. This is the beginning of Wisdom. There is no better time to demonstrate that love, oneness and equality of life than these unprecedented times when the world is going through a storm as a result of the pandemic. We know we shall overcome.
Imagine a home, a family, a State, a country, a world where Man loves, cares and thinks about others before Self. Just imagine it – there will be no wars, no Boko Haram, no killings of innocent people, no kidnapping of young and innocent school girls, no ISIS, no greed, no malice, no hatred, no absolute poverty, no oppression, no religious and tribal tensions, Government policies and actions will always be in the interest of the governed because leaders will understand that they are privileged and elected to serve. Divine love is always the answer and it is manifested through our pure thoughts, words, deeds and feelings to one another, planet earth and all God’s creations. Service to God and humanity will be our valuable coin. Just imagine. That is why Divine Love is the thread that ties all religions together under the same and one God. Divine Love is the only answer to Nigeria and the World’s problems.
Can we create such a society? Ofcourse we CAN and we WILL.
And how should we celebrate it?On the day of Easter, Man should rejoice, and remember the word and put the Word into action. It is only in doing that, that Man brings joy to the world of light.
May the spirit of Easter inspire us to love one another and God above all.
God bless and keep you and your family. It is well.
Happy Easter!!!
Bro Lee.
House of Light, Lagos
12th April 2020
