'There has never been a cloud which could hide the Sun
in its bossom for long.'
A few years ago, on a
holy saturday morning ( previous day of the easter sunday), asked me with
curiosity, about the christian celebration of the passion week. He had
witnessed the christian ceremonies like
way of the cross, washing of the
feet by the priest etc. His basic
question was, ' How can a person, beaten and abused by people, half naked,
helpless, without any powers,who was killed- be called a God?
Obviousely, the question/ curiosity of my friend was genuine. I did not have an
answer that would convince him .
Tonight ( Holy
Saturday ) and tomorrow , Easter sunday, we see thousands of Christians ,
gather in their churches to celebrate- Easter. It is indeed a celebration of
the resurrection of Christ. The Jesus
who was killed , is raised by God.Resurrection is a unique and never
happened event in the history. In the bible itself, there are other cases, where
the persons are raised from the dead; ex Lazarus.But after a while these people
have natural death. This type of raising is called resassitation and not
resurrection. Whereas resurrection is rising from the dead to live eternally.
What christians celebrate today is, this resurrection of the Christ. This is
the most basic and the fundamental belief of christian faith. The whole of
Christ's suffering and death is seen in the light of resurrection.
Often Greek philosophers, modern day
psychologists, social analysts have argued God as the projection of the
aspirations of human beings on an imaginary, powerful, supernaturally gifted
being. Thus basically, God means
powerful. My friend had an idea of a
God, who is Almighty. A weak and a
fragile God can't be thought of. Jews of the Jesus' time expected a Messiah,
who would be politically powerful. Thus Jesus, who thought to be the promised
Messiah,by the Christians, never fit into the Messianic schemes of Jews.
Naturally he was rejected and killed for his claims to be the Son of God.
I have met several
christians and others, who have often asked me,
'Why does God allow us to suffer? I myself, have at times got stuck with
the question, ' How to justify suffering?'
In the popular religious traditions
around the world, prevalent idea of a God,as someone who will appear in times
of most need, to save his people. By
destroying the enemies/ evil/ suffering, god
brings joy to his people. Thus the popular image of a God is always of
Glory and victory.
What is the response
of a christian God to suffering? The answer is found in the christian
celebrations of maundy thursday and good friday. Christian God, Christ doesn't
promise to take away suffering, rather says, ' I too will suffer with you and
die.' Isn't this a strange and an unthoughtful response from God.
We know that if an egg
is broken by an outside force, leads to death, whereas if the same egg is brken by the force within ,
then there is life. Similarly the christian scriptures speak of Suffering, in the imagery of a Seed. It says,
if a seed falls into the ground, breaks and decays, then there emerges new
life, a new plant leading to a new tree. Therefoe, for a christian, death is
not the final end, but always entails with it, the hope of rising. This is the
easter message and I believe, this doesn't apply onnly to believing christians
, but to all.
This day also reminds
christians , that as God raised Christ so, he will raise all. The end is not
the suffering and death, but joy and resurrection. Only difference is that,
don't always wait for a supernatural god to come and change your suffering
rather, each human is called to play his/ her part. This celebration of life
also calls the faithful to work for the welfare of others.
As there could be no tomb, which could keep
Christ burried for long, so is suffering and death. Just like a seed that dies,
bears much fruit, so is aour life. Thus the call of easter, is to be fully
alive and active to the present and to be the people of light.
Please note:
Christians believe in a triune God; they are
God the Father, God the Son ( Christ) and the Spirit. Second person of this
Trinity,k christ walked on this earth as jesus, who was fully human and fully
divine. He was killed and raised and God)
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