We are in the middle of EASTER Week and I would like to share what Easter means to me and in the New Thought tradition.

PALM SUNDAY                                                                                                               As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, people were praising him, waving palms and shouting Hosannas. Jesus took it all in stride by humbly riding on a
donkey into Jerusalem. This simple act was a lesson in RISE IN HUMILITY.
Being humble reminds us to thank GOD for our good always.
Jesus always said, “It is not I that doeth the work but the FATHER within.”

MONDAY
Jesus cleared out the temple where seedy transactions took place and money changers worked. It was not a sacred worshipful place of God.
This is a lesson for us to: RISE IN CLEARING OUT OUR TEMPLE
(Our Consciousness)
Clearing out our consciousness temple is like Spring Cleaning.
What do you have in your life that no longer serves you? Clean them out.
Let them go.
Find IDEAS that lift your spirits, ideas that make you feel good about who you are! You are God’s perfect child, filled with Divine Potential!
1 Corinthians 3:16
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, that the spirit of God dwelleth in you”

TUESDAY
Jesus preached in the temple, after it was restored to a place of worship.
We can be in our cleaned out temple/consciousness in daily prayer practice and meditation.

WEDNESDAY
Judas took the 30 silver coins from the Pharisees knowing he was going to lead them to Jesus. Many think Judas was hoping Jesus would boldly stand
up to the Pharisees. Would you take 30 pieces of silver to betray someone or take money that is not in integrity? Does the ends justify the means?

THURSDAY – The Last Supper
Jesus celebrated PASSOVER with his beloved disciples.
We always need to remember our history and teachings.
It began with a JEWISH Man. These are not Christian teachings.
Jesus and His disciples were celebrating the Jewish Holy Day, Passover.

Jewish people are celebrating Passover April 5 to 13, 2023 to commemorate the anniversary of their exodus from Egyptian slavery.
and freedom, as told in the Bible. On the first two nights of Passover, a ritual meal—the Seder—is held at family homes, synagogues and temples.
The Haggadah—which tells the Passover story–is recited and sung, and symbolic foods are eaten. Since the Jewish slaves had to leave Egypt quickly,
allowing no time for bread to rise, Jewish people eat matzah, which is unleavened, instead of bread during the week of Passover and forego other leavened
food items. Jesus was reminding the disciples to remember HIM during this meal, as he broke unleavened bread and served wine. Bread and wine are symbols of nourishment and what is needed in life. He wanted them to remember his teachings to LOVE one another and nourish their faith. His teachings are what is needed in our lives today as a RISE IN LOVE.

REMEMBER, JESUS KNEW with his Divine Intuition, what his Divine Purpose was and allowed everything to happen as it should.
He told Peter he would deny him 3 X and told Judas to go and do what he needed to do
The story moves to the Garden of Gethsemane – Jesus prayed, the disciples slept and the soldiers came, Peter cut off the ear of one soldier and Jesus healed it saying,
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Then Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss.

In the Divine Plan, there is always a place for betrayers.
They are part of the whole plan which leads to greater understanding, love and        RISE IN CONSCIOUSNESS.
We RISE IN LOVE by loving those who betray us and those we feel are our enemies and those who purposely gossip or find ways to hurt us.
We rise in love when we love irritating people, family, co-workers, heads of governments, terrorists. EVERYONE is seeking LOVE. It is easy to love the loveable.
We RISE IN LOVE when we love the unlovable and unforgiveable.

FRIDAY
There was the trial by Pontius Pilate, the release of Barabbas and the Crucifixion of Jesus.

The CROSS is a reminder to RISE ABOVE.
The Horizontal bar represents huge blocks, suffocated, pinned down by wrong action, fear, anger or judgement.
The Vertical bar reminds us to RISE ABOVE our negative fearful mind, and action. We soar upwards to empower ourselves and bring forth our Christ Consciousness.
On the CROSS Jesus says: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
FORGIVENESS is for US not the other person
RISE IN FORGIVENESS is a RISE in CONSCIOUSNESS

SATURDAY
The guards were outside to safeguard the stone tomb, to be sure Jesus did not leave. There will always be someone trying to keep you down FROM fulfilling your
life purpose. When the time is right, open the tomb go forth and forward towards your purpose!

SUNDAY – RESURRECTION
The Earthquake shook the ground, and a brilliant light flashed before the guards. They saw the tomb stone was rolled away and the BODY of Jesus was GONE!
The three Marys came to anoint Jesus’ body with oil and found him gone. (Mary, mother of Jesus, and her sister, Mary, wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdelene).
When the 3 Marys discovered the empty tomb, they told the disciples. Everyone finally realized Jesus has risen and there is no death,
for LIFE is Eternal.
RISING UP is a gift we give ourselves. Just as Jesus, the “Great Example”
was no longer tomb-bound, neither are we. We live beyond our stones and barriers by choosing to reveal and release our hidden splendor (God Self).
There is a “higher place” in consciousness where we can envision and create lives of deep meaning, love, and a world that works for all. We set aside barriers of fear & doubt, and give life to the joyful, creative process of God being God as us, working through us.

In conclusion, the Easter story is our story.

Rising in Love,

Abigail and Steve