Dear Friends,

Easter Joke:
“Fr. Richard Carton, associate, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Church, Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, was speaking to a group of second graders about the resurrection when one student asked, ‘What did Jesus say right after He came out of the grave?’ It was a question of great theological importance, but Fr. Carton had to explain, in words suitable to his young audience, that the Gospels do not tell us just what He said. The hand of one little girl shot up.
“I know what he said Father,’ she insisted.
‘And what was that?’ asked Fr. Carton.
“TAH-DAH!” the girl exclaimed. (Holy Humor- Any Fisher, Denville,
New Jersey)

I loved this story because of the sweet enthusiasm of the little girl.
Who knows, maybe in Jesus’s consciousness he did think “TAH-DAH!”
Here I AM, Risen, and Alive! We are in the midst of the Holy Easter Week. Christians all over the world are celebrating the original story from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. New Thought people also celebrate with a different perspective.

Jesus the Christ is a man of God Consciousness, the Great Way Shower, the Great Example, not the great exception. We do take to heart his words,
“What I do – you can do also,” and “Ye are Gods.” The Divine lives in as, as us, moves through us because we are Divine. We are spirit first, birthed from the essence of God, Universal Life Energy, the Source, by whatever name you wish to call IT, the ONE Who Began it all!.

Easter Week, in a nutshell, from the perspective of New Thought:

Sunday, RISE IN HUMILITY
Jesus makes his way into the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey modeling humility.

Monday, RISE IN CLEARING OUT OUR TEMPLE
Jesus cleared out the temple where all kinds of seedy transactions were going on. It was not a sacred place to worship. This represents the clearing out of fear, hate, greed, gossip, ego, unworthiness from our Temple/Consciousness.

Thursday, RISE IN FOLLOWING OUR PURPOSE
At the Passover supper with his disciples, Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him and told him to go and do what he needed to do. Judas thought if the soldiers came, Jesus would show his true powers to stop them. Jesus would not and did not. He remained true to the Divine Plan for his life.

Garden of Gethsemane – RISE IN LOVE
In time of sorrow or trial it is always a time for prayer and contemplation. When the soldiers came to arrest Jesus, Peter cut off one of the soldier’s ears. Jesus healed it saying, “Love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you.”

Friday – RISE IN FORGIVENESS The Trial and the crucifixion.
On the cross, Jesus said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Even betrayers push us forward to do what we came here to do. Everyone is part of God’s plan.

Sunday – RISE IN KNOWLEDGE OF ETERNAL LIFE
The Resurrection! “TAH-DAH The moment of Truth, there is no death.
How would the people in ancient times know, unless someone came back to show them.

The Easter Cross in New Thought also means we RISE IN CONSCIOUSNESS
The vertical piece of the cross represents our Consciousness Rising.
The horizonal piece represents us crossing out our negative choices, low consciousness and poor behavior.
It is a time for NEW Beginnings, better choices, and greater understanding.
Life is Everlasting.

Easter Reminds us to:

Rise in Humility
Rise in Clearing Our Own Temple
Rise in Following Our Purpose
Rise in Love
Rise in Forgiveness
Rise in Knowledge of Eternal Life.
Rise in Consciousness and New Beginnings.

The SUN Rises in the East
The SON Rose on Easter.
We are sons and daughters of God, we are here to RISE too!

Rising in Consciousness,
Abigail and Steve