Thoughts For The Season

The Spring Holy Day season is upon us, and I have been too busy in my real life to make too many comments recently. That said, the theme of these festivals, of wholeness and oneness, is something I very much appreciate. My comments here are brief, but I hope they may be properly understood.

This past year has been a tough one, not only for myself, but for many of my friends as well, tougher than any year has been for a long while in my life at least. I suppose I could chalk it up to the so-called "quarter life crisis," though it seems to follow my "ten year rule" as well. At any rate, one must make the best of it. This entry, after all, is not merely about myself, but about others who have had a difficult year of it.

Passover, which was last night, is where we memorialize the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Most of the time, our focus is on the sins that we have committed and how the death of Jesus Christ wiped those away. There are, however, other elements that may be particularly important (as they were for me, and no doubt many others, this year). Isaiah 53 is particularly salient on these other elements--including the fact that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ allows us to be restored to a loving relationship with our God and Father, as well as being healed by the wounds suffered by Christ. These are powerful words, but though familiar, they also resonate particularly strongly for myself (and, no doubt, for others). Certainly others long for the peace the chastisement of Christ brings, as difficult as that may be to fathom. Surely he has borne our griefs.

I look forward to the reflections on this season, both with regards to the Exodus, and to the Gospels. After all, this is a season about freedom and deliverance, and these things need to be reflected upon more. After all, there is much we need to be free from, and much to be thankful for, notwithstanding the difficulties we all face. So, here are my wishes, to my loyal readers, for a happy and worthwhile Spring Festival season, as well as a thought-provoking one.