EASTER AND TEACHING BY EXAMPLE
As we come up to Easter, I have been really struck by the observations of Patricia Lorenz.
Patricia is the author of Grab the Fire Extinguisher: My Birthday Cake’s on Fire! Her zany comments sometimes sound like the humorist Erma Bombeck. But at other times she can sound as spiritually wise as the late Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale or Charles Fillmore.
A few Easter seasons ago, her husband Jack died five days after Ash Wednesday. “I fed him, gave him his meds, readjusted his bed, gave him a sponge bath, then rub cream into is dry, rough, cracked feet. Jack wasn’t talking much those days, but I think he appreciated the foot rub, although, to be honest, it was not the most pleasant thing I had ever done,” Patricia remembered.
“Later during Easter week that year, I thought about how Jesus washed the feet of the 12 disciples…which reminded me of the time I rubbed the cream into Jack’s feet at the foot of his bed,” she said. There was Jesus – – the great spiritual teacher and way shower getting down on his “hands and knees on the floor to wash the dirty feet of his followers. That has always been the defining act of humility and selflessness in my mind,” Patricia adds.
She can’t imagine the king of England, or the President of the United States – – or any other ruler – – doing this. But then Jesus didn’t teach by dictum or fiat. He taught by practical examples, acts of kindness, and parables, she points out.
As I learned a little bit more about Patricia Lorenz, I was struck by how this author also – – in many ways – – seems to teach by practical example. “As I navigate my way through the last half of my 70s, I am astounded at how the struggles of life affect everyone so differently,” Patricia comments.
Several years ago, her youngest son was experiencing physical and emotional challenges. He accused his mother of having an unrealistic Pollyanna attitude about life. “Perhaps I do, but I honestly believe the sun is always shining above the clouds. I’ve seen it! When I fly to visit my children, or to see the world, the sun does shine brightly above the clouds when flying at 35,000 feet, I’ve seen it when things go wonky in my life, and I’ve made lemonade out of turnips by holding tightly onto my faith with both hands,” she responds.
She also believes that the challenges that come to us are either “blessings in disguise or lessons to be learned.” So, despite the death of her husband and senior citizenship, Patricia swims daily, volunteers often, and enjoys kindness and fellowship for many good friends and neighbors. “Most of all, I love my struggles, because they bring me so many good life lessons,” she notes.
As we come to Easter, I would suggest that you and I take some time to remember the “washing of the feet” and the teaching by example. The actual example we manifest speaks so much louder than any theology we might say we intellectually believe.
Myrtle Fillmore also taught us to look beyond appearances, and to realize that the sun is shining even on cloudy days. There is the absolute realm of Divine Mind that surpasses this relative realm of impermanence and material decay.
I think there is also another important “learning by example lesson” that we may experience through Easter. For a good portion of the holy week story, things looked pretty dreadful. The team from Galilee appeared to be way behind on points. In fact, many of the Galilean team members gave up hope and thought they were on the losing side— and that was well before the final gun head sounded.
If you are feeling down, or that things just aren’t right, that’s because it isn’t the end of the story— the final gun has not sounded yet! There is Easter!
We can wait for Easter with very different attitudes. We can wait for Easter with the attitude of Patricia’s son or we can wait for Easter with the attitude of Patricia.
As to the charge that this is Pollyanna-ish, I will be delivering a message on Sunday, April 28 entitled: “POLLYANNA WAS RIGHT!” Before the April 28 message, you might want to read the novel Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter or see the 1960s film starring Hayley Mills.
In both the novel and film, the positive attitude that Pollyanna is able to develop gets her through a serious accident that would have knocked out many for the count. And it is because Pollyanna teaches by example, and not dictum or fiat, that she is able to influence so many people.
So, I wish you a wonderful and joyous Easter. May you be able to have a positive influence on others through practical examples. And when you are feeling down, may you realize that the game is not over. There is always Easter!
