In my Western Christian tradition we are in the midst of Holy Week. Tomorrow is Maundy Thursday. That night and its stories have always called to a deep place in my soul. I find myself rereading the four different accounts of the human Jesus sitting at the Passover meal with his friends, breaking bread, drinking wine, and in one version of the story washing his friends' feet. He goes through the evening knowing that he has stepped over the line and threatened both religious and political authorities so much they will likely arrest and kill him. Some of his friends understand that, but others are pretty oblivious to the consequences of his teaching and healing, of his loving and seeing worth in so many individuals who were generally shunned in that society. I don't know why this particular part of the Christian story is so meaningful to me, it is poignant and painful, raw and human, full of the misunderstanding and betrayal of intimates. I would not want it to be the whole story, but the whole story would not be as powerful to me without this part. So for those of you in my Christian family, blessings to you in this painful and messy part in our story. And for everyone in my human family whatever your spiritual tradition, blessings in all the painful and messy parts of our individual and collective stories.
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