From End to Beginning

Every once in awhile, Easter and Passover overlap perfectly as it does this year. It’s a time when Jews and Christians celebrate traumatic endings and new beginnings. For Jews, they remember a time when they were led out of bondage and began a new era of freedom. It was a difficult experience but they came out of it the better and stronger for it. For Christians too, it is a time to remember leaving one world and entering a new one. The events of Good Friday and Holy Saturday were traumatic; Jesus’ disciples thought they had lost their teacher forever but they too came out of it better and stronger. Upon leaving Egypt, there was much doubt and uncertainty amongst the Hebrew people. Some thought it was a mistake, they wanted to turn back for the comfort of the familiar. When Jesus was crucified, his followers thought they might be next. They scattered and they hid in fear. Both groups had to suffer pain and loss before they were finally able to realize ultimate victory and deliverance. Once their respective ordeals were over, when the Hebrew people finally made it to the Promised Land and the Disciples finally were reunited with their risen teacher and friend, they had arrived, finally, at the beginning.

-J.P. Mac