Today, Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, I open today’s thought forms with the simple aphorism: “There is no such thing as a co-incidence… It’s only God’s way of remaining anonymous.”
This day God put together in a mysterious manner, and all I had to do was to pay attention to what was coming up now. Of prime importance is the appreciation that there is only one Source of everything, and we have an infinitude of names for that Source. My choice of names for that Source, based on my upbringing and traditions, is “God”. I add that in knowing that there is but one Source, that Source cannot be judgmental, hateful, fearful, shameful, or guilt–full or it would have argued itself out of existence before it became anything at all. We know today that the beginnings of everything in our Universe date back nearly 14 billion years and that point of light was not only physical energy, but a conscious, spiritual energy.
I have long known to pay attention to Life as it comes along and meets me minute by minute and do exactly what It asks of me. Today, Life asks me to tell you about the life–changing gifts of the day: the ironic nature of the day itself; the discovery of the effects of blast injuries on the human cerebral cortex; an orchestral performance that flew in the face of intolerance; and the evening performance of Jesus Christ, Superstar.
Today is the first of April. It is “April Fools’ Day”! It is also Easter Sunday in memory of the resurrection of the Nazarene, Joshua. So maybe I ought to be standing away from the circumstances of the day and looking at it all with a somewhat jaundiced eye. I accept that challenge. The trial of the Nazarene was a rigged trial against him because the holy men of his tribe were threatened by him and they cooked up the charge of blasphemy and sentenced him to death by crucifixion… a bitter “April fool,” if ever.
I did some important work with a close friend about healing the hypocritical metamorphosis in which we find ourselves today. We are both of a mind that our transformation has the potential for great beauty, closing our conversation in time for me to watch today’s episode of 60 Minutes. It began with an interview of an American soldier terribly wounded in one of our senseless wars in the near East. After many corrective surgeries to restore some appearance of normalcy to the right side of his face and head, he devoted himself to helping other wounded veterans free themselves of PTSD. About a year ago he started showing signs of psychosis. They became so severe and untreatable that he committed suicide. A postmortem examination led the pathologist to look at his brain to see if there was any evidence of blast injury there… there was, and very extensive blast injury throughout the whole brain, unlike the patterns of injury that occur from repeated contact. That whole segment of 60 Minutes focused on this complication of blast injuries because they had never been looked for before. They are a product of today’s high explosive warfare. We have created a whole new class of war wounds that leads me out of my own grief for the losses of war to heighten my passion for seeing an end to war.
The second half of today’s 60 Minutes program was a presentation of the work of Daniel Barenboim, a Jewish man born with a gift for playing magnificent classic piano and conducting magnificent orchestras, the latest of which comprised both Jews and Palestinians in their home countries. Here is one human being who is doing wonderful work in overcoming the racist prejudice that exists on both sides of the barrier in Palestine. I applaud his work and the work of the young people in that orchestra. I am a resident of Maine living 10 miles from the Seeds of Peace camp where high school students from both Israel and Palestine have come together every summer, starting in 1993, nurturing each other peacefully.
Then, to close out a wonderful day in which I was given the opportunity to explore our illnesses of racism, on the one hand, and the dreadful tolls of war on the other, I was called to be witness to our potential for healing through this evening’s NBC performance of Jesus Christ Superstar!
I delight in experiencing the way that God has set up such complex co–incidences that make it very difficult for her/him to remain anonymous much longer. I encourage you to investigate your own life – experience(s) for similar patterns. My sense is that you’ll find them. Know that you are blessed.
Amen, dear friend.
Thank you for this sharing Ken, I enjoyed reading your words and watching as the thread was woven throughout your day. How incredible, the discovery of what had occurred in the soldiers brain, it sounds like through his life he has given so much, in life and in death.
Isn’t it interesting to be open and curious about the patterns that emerge in our days, weeks, years…so many of them.
Speaking of coincidences, patterns and themes, my son saw a cross with Jesus on it in the Doctors surgery today, he asked what it was. I began to explain that Jesus did many incredible things and taught others, he was also involved in miracles. My son looked impressed, and made the woman next to us laugh when he nodded seriously and asked ‘Did he know how to do things like a ninja?’
What could I say? I simply said ‘I’m not too sure about that, it was a long time ago’.
I got such pleasure out of watching that soldier with the blast injury before his mind/brain crashed. Incredible peace and serenity in his face and voice. I got a strong sense that he was today no longer among the living, even though he was so vibrantly alive when filmed… My sense of a true warrior….
So interesting how all things join together and make so much sense. I too watched the piece on 60 minutes and was moved by this soldier’s bravery and strong will. Also was fascinated by the pathologist’s research. We have come a long way in realizing how dreadful and useless war is. Only if we could really listen and pay attention. Thank you for all you share, Ken.