Easter 2024
Beloved,
“I am spiritual but not religious.” I’ve said it many times before I became a regular churchgoer. Searching for the answer to the big question, the word Religious just sounded too suffocatingly confining to my hungry ears because it symbolized man-made rules of dos and don’ts, imposition of fear through control, darkness veiled in meticulously curated painful smiles ready to crack at any moment, arrogance hidden underneath elegance, and apathy disguised in superficial peace. These thoughts only made me avoid church, instead to beautiful nature, good conversations with close friends, thought-provoking books, and a good cup of coffee or bourbon. After all, I can pray, read the bible, or volunteer for a charitable cause somewhere, all on my own – free of drama, pet peeves, and idiosyncrasy – to nurture my spirituality. Why bother dealing with religion that would bring more grief in addition to that of my own?
When the word, Religion, came to the English language around the 1200s, it meant life bound by monastic vows or orders. However, its roots are much more complex. The classical etymology suggests relegare, meaning re (again) + lego (read/careful consideration); the modern one religare, re (again) + ligare (bind/connect); and the newer reasoning from Latin religio, which meant individual virtue of honoring social obligations and relationships in which a wide range of human emotions coexist. All the findings point towards our conscious, tireless effort to relate with one another with respect and dignity. Jesus teaches us that our goal is to love God and His people, as he loved us selflessly. I sincerely meant to love more freely when I used to say, “I am spiritual but not religious.” However, my actions only judgmentally protected my loving feelings by isolating myself from anything and anyone who challenged my way of loving. I must admit, I was rather selfish.
The Lenten season and Easter are excellent times to reexamine our love through relationships with self, others, and ultimately, God. Do we commit ourselves to love selflessly each day, like Jesus did, without anticipating any personal gain? When Jesus came to live among us, he lived that kind of selfless love to spread God’s abundant Love from the beginning to the cross to the resurrection. His ever-forgiving love continues to live among us so we can learn and re-learn how to love one another better and selflessly in ways God intended us to live. We are meant to bind ourselves in love – selflessly, by which we become One Body in Christ. Religion teaches us how to consciously come together in truth via such selfless love, though we have failed miserably to learn it throughout history. However, our countless failures should not discourage us from trying more because God has not given up on us. In this Lent, Holy Week, and Easter, let us immerse ourselves in Jesus’ footsteps with the faith family and learn to act justly, love faithfully, and walk humbly with Jesus daily.
