Read slowly, and allow the words to come alive within you.

Friday of Holy Week

The journey through the week before Easter takes us through the archetypes of the seven planets, the seven stages of planetary/cosmic evolution. What then does it mean that on Friday,  the day of the crucifixion, we live in the sphere of Venus? By all traditions, Venus is the goddess of love and beauty. When we behold the violence, hate and true evil of the day of crucifixion, it is hard to reconcile that discrepancy.
     What aspect of Good Friday can be called “good,” when it was a day of suffering and death?

LIVING IN THE WORLD OF THE SENSES

    We can begin by considering the life of Christ-Jesus. What can it mean that Christ, in becoming human, actually lived in a body with eyes to see, ears to hear, hands to touch? What can it mean that the world Creator could step into this limited dimension and see the world as we do, an image–only an image–of His own thoughts and love.
     This world is infinitely precious, but also fraught with pain and trials. This plane of existence poses almost insurmountable challenges to human beings. Too often we undervalue the gift of existence: we forget to ask essential questions, become consumed with frivolities, distract ourselves to death. On our long and arduous journey towards freedom, we too often forget the unspeakable great gift of life.
     What would the experience be of a God who becomes Human? How would it be to touch this world with such hands of love and healing and knowing? Would not every word, every deed, be suffused with awe, appreciation, wonder–the very essence of Love?
     And what does it mean when a God suffers? When a God dies?
     Although many readers will have heard the story of the death and resurrection of 2000 years ago, its deeper meaning can only be fully grasped if we dare to wrestle with it deeply.
     Was there actually a chance that He would not be strong enough? Not able to overcome Death? Can we dare to ask such a question?
     He, the world creator, entered this state of being. He, who brought love, was crucified by those whom he had created.

THE WORLD BECOMES SILENT

     Paintings, poetry and stories tell of the grim stories of the afternoon of Good Friday. The world seems to remember the mood of those hours even today, for if we walk in nature at the hour of death on that day, between noon and 3 pm, the world still seems shrouded in quiet, waiting.
     The seed has fallen to the ground. It will be given unto the earth.
     Those who choose to meditate on the mystery of this death will allow themselves to cultivate silence on this day. They will take the time to deeply ponder the veil that separates us from spiritual world. We will wonder why we are born, why we die. And when we come to the core of the question in our hearts, we will meditate on the power of the seed.
       Are the forces of life strong enough in us so that, even if we die, we will live?

THE QUESTION AND THE FREEDOM

      Where is Love in that Friday drama?

      Christ will never force anyone to believe in Him, to acknowledge Him, to follow His way, for if He did, He would be denying them their freedom. And this is the gift that He came to offer.
     Christ’s creating being is identical with love. In living on earth and becoming Human, He gave Himself away, in abundant, creating love.
     Of all the great spirits of the universe, it is said the Christ alone became fully human, and He alone died. There have been initiates, masters, heroes, and world teachers, but only once did a God pass through death into the core of the earth..
      As the sun sets on Good Friday night, the entire universe waits to behold:.what will happen when love is slain? Will it disappear, victim of its own created world?

Seed Valentine

 Not until when we can look back

with unlimited divine consciousness

on these ant-like lives we led here

and feel the kind of kindness

and fiery love only a god can send

like a thunder-bolt into the heart

of a planet teetering on the edge

of a new life will we really sense

how exhausted all the metaphors

of spring still tumble toward

some new death nature conceives

sprouting with all we must rise to

a new magic worked on matter

this time from the inside

a light certain as a flower

            Peter Rennick