[Sundaycommunity] “Death has lost its sting” - Embracing Resurrection and Transcendence

[Paul M]

Thanks for the reflection Art. Blessings for Easter


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On Fri, Mar 29, 2024 at 2:19 PM Greg Gillis via Sundaycommunity <
sundaycommunity at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:

> Beautiful Art! This is such a deep and meaningful understanding of the
> present reality of the resurrection for us during this time of trauma and
> fear!
>
> Peace and Joy to All in the Risen Lord!
>
> Greg
>
>
> On Fri, Mar 29, 2024 at 1:14 PM Arthur Blomme via Sundaycommunity <
> sundaycommunity at lists.integralshift.ca> wrote:
>
>> My reflection for this Easter.
>>
>>
>> “Death has lost its sting” - Embracing Resurrection and Transcendence
>>
>> We gather this Easter in the shadow of a world fraught with fear, where
>> the drums of war and genocide beat loudly. The specter of death looms over
>> us as we blind ourselves to the malevolence of the powers and
>> principalities.
>>
>>  Yet, amidst this turmoil, we hold fast to the Apostle Paul’s profound
>> declaration: “Death has lost its sting,” a statement that encapsulates
>> transcendence as the essence of the resurrection.
>>
>>  The resurrection is the act that transforms the narrative of death into
>> a narrative of life; from one of defeat, to one of victory. It is not
>> confined to an event in history but is an ongoing reality that elevates us
>> beyond the limitation of our status quo perspective of reality.
>>
>> In times of conflict and uncertainty, the fear of death can be a powerful
>> tool in the hands of those who seek to control and manipulate. It is a
>> sting that pricks the heart, sowing division and despair.  We can
>> observe in our midst that people of good faith are polarized by narratives
>> promoting war and hate.  As a friend has said each side of the polarized
>> political factions is convinced that the “other side” is hurtling toward
>> fascism.
>>
>> Our instinct for survival moves all of creation away from the spectre of
>> death.  A single celled organism shuts down its creative energies to
>> protect itself from the toxicity. Members of the animal kingdom when they
>> perceive danger automatically focus on fight or flight. In the absence
>> of danger they grow and flourish in the land.
>>
>> Humans on the other hand are semantic beings and we have to contend with
>> toxic meaning that drives us to a death of spirit.  If we succumb to
>> toxic meaning like fear, hate and self-centeredness we engage in this move
>> away behaviour and our ability to create and love is dampened.
>>
>> We might say that we have two classes of motivation in creation.  We are
>> either motivated to move away from death or to move toward growth and
>> transcendence. A fear mindset   causes us to move away from death while
>> a growth mindset motivates us to transcend toward the fullness of life and
>> creativity.
>>
>> The quote from the Apostle Paul speaks to a spiritual overcoming of fear,
>> particularly the fear of death. It suggests that through faith in the
>> resurrection, believers can transcend the paralyzing effects of fear. The
>> quote implies that the ultimate fear—death—has been conquered, and
>> therefore, the things that typically incite fear lose their power.
>>
>> For the early Christians, this victory signifies a new reality where
>> believers transcend the fear of death, anticipating the New Jerusalem
>> descending from the heavens or the mustard seed that is the Kingdom of God
>> in our midst.
>>
>> The resurrection teaches us that life is more than what we perceive. It
>> invites us to look beyond the propaganda, to question the narratives that
>> drive us towards fear and division, to instead seek truth, beauty, goodness
>> and unity of the human family.
>> Arthur Blomme
>> March 28th, 2024
>>
>>
>>
>>
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