Dimensions of Easter celebration

Caryl Nugara

Resurrection: Easter the Resurrection of Christ is one of the festivals the Christian Church celebrates.

The English word "Easter" is of uncertain origin but it is derived from the name of the Anglo-Saxon spring goddess "Easter". Among other rites it consisted of the blessings of a new fire and joyful celebrations practised during the Early Middle Ages.

In the Russian Orthodox Church there were infant baptisms, lighting of a Paschal candle and a special order of worship with the choir singing anthems and cantatas.

In the Easter Orthodox Church the characteristic was to keep the church in darkness for a whole day until the Sunday Easter procession came up to the door with hundreds of candles and coloured lamps to reveal the splendour of Christ's resurrection (Encyclopedia Britannica).

The origin of the "Sunrise Service' is not really known but it is recorded in the Gospel narrative of John 20 which says. "On the 1st day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early" Sociologists believe this Biblical evidence was mingled with the season of spring and nature's renewal of life itself out of the bleakness of winter (quote).

Middle Eastern festivals took place during Easter time. An extravagant celebration was the procession of Spring.

This panoramic serenade brought with it merriment in the warmth of the sun. Musicians accompanied maidens walking along the avenues clad in pure white lace garments carrying rush baskets overflowing with fruits, wheat and blossoms. There was gaiety and every household played a part in it.

Years later the 'Easter Bonnet" was specially fashioned to be worn during the season. It had organdie frills, satin bows and rosebuds. The soft luminous net veiling fell just on the brow of the maiden to reveal her flowing, flaxen curls.

Certain flowers are associated with Easter, De-drops, baby roses, white lilies and the St. Joseph's deep orange lily standing up-right amidst its spear shaped leaves are some. The rosea, a dwarf cactus presents fragrant carmine flowers in abundance during Easter.

The Easter egg is a symbol of new life. Coloured or decorated ones were hidden away in prepared nests and on (Easter) Sunday children had to find them. Later on it became a confection with chocolate or candy filling. It is interesting to know that a Russian Czar presented a splendid jewelled egg to his Czarina just to show how much he loved her.

The Easter rabbit is also a suggestion of fertility. Mothers made them out of wool and gave them as gifts to children. Eastern cards carry pictures of birds, flowers and sunshine. They are not elaborate, yet they convey the hope of new life.

Special delicacies are the ribboned marzipan, buns with sugar designs, love cake filled with cadjunuts, honey semolina and eggs were to be served to visitors at Easter Sunday.

Looking through the prism of customary events of years gone by and Christian celebration, we realize that together they made Easter a joyful season.

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Lent calls for deeper spiritual renewal -CBCSL

HOLY SEASON: The forty-day Lent period is set apart for achieving a profound spiritual renewal based on a deeper conversion from sin to holiness, said a statement issued by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka(CBCSL). "During the season of Lent, we strive to enter deeply into the Mystery of the Passion and the Death of Lord Jesus.

Becoming aware of the tragedy of sin and devoted to prayer and penance, we prepare inwardly to celebrate the Mystery of the Resurrection and thereby receive its light and power to overcome sin in all its forms and indeed obtain freedom from all powers of evil.

We are entering this period of repentance and struggle against evil at a time when the whole country is embroiled in immense pain and is being afflicted in many ways, at times dramatic and heart-rending: a veritable crucible of suffering reminding us of the Crucified Lord who walked the path of the Cross to Golgotha, to offer the supreme sacrifice of His life to release a sinful humanity from the slavery of evil and sin.

The never-ending stories of anguish, loneliness, displacement of large numbers of our citizens and added to these, the hapless victims of oppression, hatred and violence bring before us the scenes of the Passion and Death of Jesus the Lord, our Saviour. However, the Risen Lord stands as the pledge of the definitive victory over evil and from the cross flow the graces of pardon, reconciliation and peace."

The Lenten message of Pope Benedict XVI invites us to "gaze upon the one whom they have pierced". His Holiness says that: "the contemplation of the pierced One moves us to open our hearts to others, recognizing the wounds inflicted upon the dignity of the human person; it moves us, in particular, to fight every form of contempt for life and human exploitation and to alleviate the tragedies of loneliness and abandonment of so many people."

" How true and realistic a challenge for all the Christians of this land at this moment when we feel so greatly obliged especially to contribute our share in alleviating the untold sufferings of our fellow citizens and doing our utmost to eradicate the root causes of hatred, greed, mistrust, intolerance and injustice which are at the bottom of our misery.

In this background God's call to his people through his prophet, carries a timely challenge to us during this Lent in a particular way:

What does the Lord require of you, but to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God". (Micah 6:8)," the statement said.

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Islam and code of morality

M.Y.M. Meeadh

MORALITY: Islam has a strict code of morality as a measure to discipline human life. All other aspects of life mainly depend on morality for success. However much a man gains wealth and fame, he cannot be recognised as a noble man unless he adheres to the code of moral discipline.

Therefore, according to Islam, gambling, and intoxicants are strictly prohibited as they cause immorality among the people.

The Holy Quran says about the prohibition of the gambling and intoxicants: "They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say in them is great sin, and some profit, for men; But the sin is greater than the profit" (2:219)

According to this Quarnic verse, wine-khamr-literally understood to mean formented juice of the grape; applied by analogy to all fermented liquor, and by further analogy to an intoxicating liquor or drug. There may possibly some benefit in it, but the harm is greater than the benefit especially if we look at it from a social as well as an individual point of views.

In the modern world, some argue that a sip of liquor will not affect a person. But, if such a person gets used to it, he will in crease the quantity of liquor day by day. Human weakness will tempt a person to take liquor more and more.

Therefore, Almighty Allah who knows human weakness has prohibited the use of even a small quantity of liquor.

As mentioned in the above Quranic verse, gambling literally means getting something too easily, getting profit without working for it, hence gambling. That is the principle on which gambling is prohibited.

The form most familiar to the Arabs was gambling by casting lots by means of arrows on the principle of a lottery: the arrows were marked and served the same purpose as a modern lottery ticket. Something e.g. the carcase of a slaughtered animal, was divided into unequal parts.

The marked arrows were drawn from a bag. Some were blank and those who drew them got nothing, others indicated prizes which were big or small. Whether you got a big share or small share or nothing depended on pure luck, unless there was fraud also on the part of some persons concerned.

The principle on which the objection is based is, that even if there is no fraud, you gain what you have not earned or lose on a mere chance. Dice and wagering are rightly held to be within the definition of gambling.

The Holy Quran further says the following concerning intoxicants and gambling: "Oye who believe! intoxicants and gambling (dedication of) stones and (divination) by arrows are on abomination - of Satain's handi work. Eschew such (abomination) that ye may prosper'. (V: 90)

In this regard, it is relevant to quote the following Quranic verse "Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from Prayer: will you not then abstain? (V:91)

The arrows there referred to were used for the division of meat by a sort of lottery or toffle. But arrows were also used of divination. i.e. for ascertaining lucky or unlucky moments or learning the wishes of heathen gods as to whether men should undertake certain actions or not. All superstitions are condemned in Islam.

In Sri Lanka, gambling in various forms is practised by people for earning money by chance. Craving for more and more money tempts these gamblers to play games of chance.

Islam strictly prohibits all varieties of liquor, narcotics and intoxicants to save humans from being attacked by the intoxication that is tantamount to mental derangement mental imbalance.

Therefore, let us all give up gambling and intoxicants and lead a sound balanced life.

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What does Islam say about terrorism?

Zahrina Careem

RELIGION of mercy : Islam, a religion of mercy, does not permit terrorism. In the Quran, God has said:

God does not forbit you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers (Quran, 60:8)

The prophet Mohammed (Peace upon him) used to prohibit soldiers from killing women and children and he would advise them..."Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill a new born child." And he also said. "Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years.

(Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Also, the Prophet Mohammed (Peace upon him) has forbidden punishment with fire. He once listed murder as the second of the major sins, and he even warned that on the Day of Judgement. (The first cases to be adjudicated between people on the Day of Judgment will be those of bloodshed. This means killing and injuring)

(Narrated in Saheen Muslim)

Muslims are even encouraged to be kind to animals and are forbidden to hurt them. Once the Prophet (peace upon him) said: "A woman was punished because she imprisoned a cat until it died. On account of this, she was doomed to Hell. While she imprisoned it, she did not give the cat food or drink, nor did she free it to eat the insects of the earth." (Narrated in Saheeh Muslim)

He also said that a man gave a very thirsty dog a drink, So God forgave his sins for this action. The prophet (Peace upon him) was asked. "Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?" He said: There is a reward for kindness to every living animals or human.

(Narrated in Saheeh Muslim)

Additionally, while taking the life of an animal for food, Muslims are commanded to do so in a manner that causes the least amount of fright and suffering possible.

The prophet Mohammed (Peace upon him) said: "When you slaughter an animal, do so in the best way. One should sharpen his knife to reduce the suffering of the animal."

(Narrated in Saheeh Muslim)

In light of these and other Islamic texts, the act of inciting terror in the hearts of defenceless civilians, the wholesale destruction of buildings and properties, the bombing and maiming of innocent men, Women and children are all forbidden and detestable acts according to Islam and Muslims.

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Hinduism: Enlightening and exposing

S. T. Arasu

SUCCESS: In our families there are the heads, some of them are successful, others are not! Why? We complain of others in our failures. The moment I am unsuccessful, I say, so and so is the cause. In failures, one does not like to confess one's own faults and weaknesses! Each person tries to hold himself faultless and lay the blame upon somebody, or something else, or even bad luck.

When heads of families fail, they should ask themselves, why it is that some persons manage a family so well, and others do not! Then, you will find that the difference is owing to the man - his presence, his personality."

"Coming to great leaders of mankind, we always find, that it was the personality of the man, that counted. Now, take all the great authors of the past, the great thinkers.

Really speaking, how many thoughts have they thought? Take all the writings that have been left to us, by the past leaders of mankind - take each one of their books and appraise them.

The real thoughts, new and genuine, that have been thought in this world, up to this time, amount to only a handful.

Read in their books, the thoughts they have left to us. The authors do not appear to be giants to us and yet we know, that they were great giants in their days.

What made them so? Not simply the thoughts, they thought, neither the books they wrote, nor the speeches they made - it was something else, that is now gone, that is their personality.

As I have already remarked, the personality of the man is two thirds and his intellect, his words are, but one third.

It is the real man, the personality of the man, that runs through us. Our actions are but effects; actions must come, when the man is there; the effect is bound to follow the cause. The ideal of all education, all training should be this man-making.

But, instead of that, we are always trying to polish up the outside. What use in polishing up the outside, when there is no inside? The end and aim of all training, is to make the man grow.

The man who influences, who throws his magic, as it were upon his fellow-beings, is a dynamo of power and when that man is ready, he can do anything and everything he likes; that personality put open anything, will make it work.

An excerpt from speech made by the late Swami Vivekananda at Los Angeles, California on January 08, 1900 at the All Religious Conference.

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What is Hinduism

Principles: Hinduism is a way of living according to one's understanding of principles of the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Vedas are revealed knowledge.

Just as the knowledge of gravity was revealed to Newton, similarly, in India, many Rishis or Seers were awakened to certain transcendental Eternal Truths. These Rishis realised that their real nature was not concerned with or linked with 'body or mind', nor was it dependent on sense perceptions, but was in fact Divine and identical with Universal Consciousness.

The Upanishads

These Seers realised their oneness with all beings, and even identified themselves with Transcendental Truth beyond all beings. The state of altered consciousness in which the Seers become one with Truth is spoken of as Samadhi.

The Self-realised Seers termed this Reality as Atman, Brahman, Pure Consciousness, or Supreme Being. In course of time, the word God was also interchangeably used with Brahman or Atman.

This state of being one with Brahman or Atman was transient but very intense, and many a person gave up his or her body in this blissful state. Thus, their experiences were buried or cremated with them.

Fortunately, a few Seers could come back from the state of Transcendental Consciousness to human consciousness, and they were able to express, albeit sketchily, their experiences of that state. They, and their disciples, tried to describe the state that was beyond words and speech.

Therefore, their words were inadequate to give full account of the nature of those experiences and of the Truth. The Upanishads contain closest possible approximation of such transcendental states in the language full of poetic richness, similes, and metaphors.

But as the Seers lived in different time, culture, and place, the text describing their experiences appeared different.

However, one thing was certain and common: That the state they experienced or realised was full of Bliss, beyond comparison with any pleasure or joy obtained by one or all the five senses.

It was much higher than sensuality of sex, much enthralling than the sweetness of music, more beautiful than any scenery experienced by the eyes, or any taste perceived by the tongue. Secondly, these Seers felt, out of compassion and love, that everyone should experience such a wonderful and unique state.

They were also sure that every being is potentially capable of reaching there, because it was the inner and real nature of all!

To be continued