Resurrection, the coming back to life of someone who was dead, is an ancient concept shared in some form by most major religious groups. Christianity sees the resurrection of Jesus as the center of faith. The context for Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus was the Jewish belief in the physical resurrection of all the dead at the end of time to face final judgment. What was unique in Christian belief was that Jesus' resurrection was limited to just one person and occurred in the middle of time!

Much energy and angst has been invested over the years both to understand and defend particular perspectives on the nature of Jesus' resurrection, not to mention its implications. Some say it was a physical, bodily resurrection while others insist it was metaphysical and incorporeal. For the apostle Paul, it was more like a vision while the gospels describe it in very physical terms, though with a clear supernatural component. The result of staking out perspectives on the nature of Jesus' resurrection has, sadly, led to dissent, discord, and disunity with the religious community.

I think that resurrection revisited can be a source of transformation and life for each of us. I suspect the secret of the resurrection is revealed not when we shine the light of interpretation on it, but when it shines the light of interpretation on us. Resurrection is a way of bringing understanding to this life we are living. It brings a new view of how we see others as well as how we treat our environment. The meaning of life, regardless of what we will experience after death, is found here and now. If we can't find that meaning here and now, how can we hope to find it later? May this holy season shine the light of resurrection of each of us so that we can see that life is eternal-not will be eternal, but is now eternal-and love is immortal.

Thanks for continuing to bless me as we journey together.
  
Jack Price

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