What does the Jesus of Easter have to reveal to us about the importance of an evidenced life on Earth?
Today's thoughts include the topic of ghosts and the spooky occurrences that lead up to Jesus' death by Roman crucifixion and subsequent resurrection as the Christian Gospels describe.
Death can instill fear in many — it represents the ultimate unknown that science can neither prove nor disprove.
Science does, however, confirm the existence of black holes. Scientists understand that black holes are critical to the functionality of our universe, though we have no idea why.
Before transitioning to their new state, black holes must initially exist as bright, gaseous stars. Things collide with other things, echoing the workings of a higher power or greater sense of divinity.
Christians often dismiss the notion of ghosts, despite Biblical texts describing various mysterious spiritual beings.
This includes Jesus of Nazareth’s return from excruciating circumstances to a renewed living presence on Easter Sunday. Now that he has escaped death, he can appear out of nowhere and even eat boiled fish. (Luke 24: 36-43, New International Version)
Also, in the days leading up to Passover before Jesus arrives in Jerusalem, a Biblical passage describes a miraculous — dare I say spooky — sighting of Jesus atop a mountain with the deceased Moses and Elijah. There are blinding lights, Jesus’ face alters, and big clouds surround Jesus and his friends John, James, and Peter, who are simply trying to sleep but the commotion is too overwhelming.
Overcome with fear and confusion, disciples John and James keep what they’ve witnessed to themselves while impulsive Peter offers Moses and Elijah shelter on the earthly mountain with them. Luke, the writer of the Scripture text I’ve referenced here, emphasizes Peter’s confusion with this hilarious sentence, “[Peter] did not know what he was saying.” (Luke 9: 28-34, NIV)
Humor aside, after Jesus’ humiliating exit through Roman crucifixion, his bodily wounds stay with him as he materializes to individuals closest to him. He does this not only to confirm he is the Son of Man according to the Hebrew Scriptures but to show his new self is just him, though he has successfully conquered death at all cost.
I see these wounds, like the various gases and collisions of a dying star becoming a black hole, as an evidenced life filled with wisdom and learning — that our short timelines on planet Earth still matter in our evolution of consciousness after death.
Since the Big Bang, our universe has proceeded to expand for over 13 billion years, say scientists. These same scientists continue to claim that black holes, once bright stars, are still essential to the expansion and sustenance of the universe.
Why should earthly creatures like us assume we are less than such material matter? The Jesus of Easter invites us to consider there is more.
But to access this deeper reality, I believe we have some learning to do on Earth first.
Sources for this article:
Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell
https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/astronomy/item/what-does-it-mean-when-they-say-the-universe-is-expanding
Luke 9: 28-34, New International Version
Luke 24: 36-43, New International Version