I grew up as an active participant in Holy Week activities. We looked at the stories of Holy Week (the triumphant entrance into Jerusalem through the ugly death on the cross of Jesus)as literally as humans possibly could.
This often left me full of questions until eventually I almost abandoned the entire week as an observance.
Today I find myself coming back to the Holy Week stories and re-examining them as stories that help us improve as human beings. The secret is looking at the stories as a parade of archetypes which teach us better ways to be heroic and hopeful and communitarian.
Check them out in your local Bible.
Tomorrow Christians celebrate New Life by commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ some 2000 years ago.
Of course this joyful day follows a week of sorrow in which most Christians commemorate the death of the Suffering Servant, the same Jesus Christ.
Many Christians believe in the literal story of a real life historical Jesus who indeed died for all of our sins since the beginning of humankind. We were responsible for his death. His Father gave up his only son so humans like you and I could be saved.
What a wonderful story! Kind of reminds me of ancient myths, however. Now before you throw your shoes at me through cyberspace, I'm not writing this to refute Christians' time-honored faith in the saving power of the cross. I'm just trying to widen the circle somewhat so that other non-believers can at least also benefit from this story.
First of all, let me tell you that I will NEVER be able to understand an all-powerful father relinquishing his son, making him suffer almost unbearable pain in order to appease his sense of justice.(At least Abraham's potential killing of Isaac would have not been as cruel as what was to happen to Jesus.) But let it suffice that this was a father, not a mother, at least when we look at archetypes. So I'm glad the central figure in this story is a man, not a woman.
Nevertheless, in this story of the Suffering Servant (Jesus)we have a story of a life of a wonderful man who had many of the powers of a (God)(god). He healed. He changed properties of liquids. He raised people from death. He literally walked on water. I won't try to explain how, but let's just agree, this man was godlike.
Yet he let himself be betrayed, captured, beaten and condemned to death. He could have gotten himself a lawyer, defended himself and at least served time instead of being put on the cross. But he was the Suffering Servant.
In mythology, we learn of characters who do extraordinary things so that we common humans can learn from them. In this sense, we can all see in the story of Jesus Christ an example of how as humans we too should have some heroic leanings in ourselves. Sometimes we need to go beyond what we in justice should do. Sometimes we need to make those heroic steps. Perhaps we won't defend ourselves so that others can be saved.
Then we looked at the story of the Resurrection, which follows Good Friday by only two sunsets. Did Jesus really rise from the grave? Christians think so. But again, we don't all have to believe in the Resurrection. We can possibly just benefit from the symbolism that this story tells us. Of course, we can take from this story the hope of new life after a grave misfortune in life. But we can also find hope that good eventually wins over evil, and brilliantly shines forth as in the glorious body of Christ which by common sense by Sunday should have looked pretty darn bad.
Other symbolic stories we find during Holy Week involves the Last Supper, which this year coincided with the Jewish feast of Passover. But the story of the Last Supper expands on the symbolism of the Passover (survival of a people amidst great injustices) to offer the symbol of community. The sharing of the bread and wine (both of which were already increased in quantity and quality in previous miracles of Jesus), and the instruction to continue this practice, signifies the sustenance of bread, the joy of wine and the community of sharing both among friends and even enemies. These two elements are very much the simple symbols of what we all need to be a part of life. We need food and joy shared with one another.
So the next time you happen to pick up a Bible at a hotel or a doctor's office, don't put it down thinking that someone is trying to convert you. Outsmart them. Read the stories in the Bible and glean from it similar stories that have been written in many other people's legends passed down from generation to generation.
No matter where you are on a faith journey, we can all benefit from the lessons we learn when we read them or hear them as stories of the human condition. They teach us to understand our calls in life as flesh and blood and feeling humans. We are burdened in many of the same ways as our ancient ancestors. These stories are carried down to us to show us possible ways of facing our struggles as we go on with the human (and somewhat mystical) story of humankind.
Have a wonderful Easter!