Radical Acceptance

The celebrated narrative of Jesus Christ living and dying on the cross strikes me as more powerful than ever this year. For here was a man who was compassionate and kind, who embodied what we would today call “radical acceptance”. Yet he was condemned by authoritarian figures seeking control and dominance. His pain and abuse reminds us that when we risk exposure and are our most vulnerable selves, we risk being rejected, humiliated and, at the very least, not understood. In these days, post pandemic, with gun violence and climate change looming, with people shuttered and wary of the world, it takes real courage to live with a heart wide open and to welcome all walks of life. We often assume too quickly that what works for me, must also be best for you. If not careful, we may unwittingly perpetuate attitudes of condemnation. Radical acceptance is to be humble, to drop our own condemning tendencies and be tender with ourselves and others. Today inspires us to think of the life of a man who lived his love fully, who did not cower in the face of oppressive forces that threatened to squelch the spirit in order to keep the status quo. This Easter Sunday is a day to love out loud, to live with passionate acceptance and to uplift each other.