I made this Kakejiku for Easter to testify of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He has borne not only our sins, but has felt all the anguish, pain and disappointment this life presents to us. It is that suffering and knowledge of empathy that permits Him to love each of us perfectly. And that perfect love is how we will know Him, when you see His face, whether in this life or the next.
In this painting by Carl Bloch, titled
Peter's Denial, illustrates our weakness as imperfect people to always do the right thing. In Matthew 26:75 is says, "And Peter remembered the word of Jesus:...Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly." I think the greatest emotional pain we can feel in life is when we know what we morally ought to do, but choose not to act righteously. We may do this for fear of public opinion, and it may be unpopular to stand up for what we know is correct. However, the regret will stay with you. But the atonement and forgiveness is for ourselves as well. When Jesus visited the Disciples anonymously at the sea of Tiberias in John 21, we are reminded of this. Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him, and it caused him to remember his regret, but it was also the message that Peter should remember his fault no more and forgive himself.
In our modern day, there are some women that may feel oppressed, or experienced violence or abuse at the hand of a man. But Jesus loves Women. The first person we know of who received witness of Jesus Christ as a resurrected being was Mary. In John 20: 17 Jesus said to Mary, "Say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God" The first witness to our Living Savior was not a man, but Mary, who went and testified of it to the followers. It shows how important the testimony of a Woman is to Jesus.
Could you imagine yourself being in this picture. Matthew 27: 59-60 reads, "And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed." Many of his followers probably felt despair and hopelessness. He had performed so many miracles, yet he could not save himself from death. Yet, at that moment these followers had forgotten his own prophecies of resurrection, not understanding the context in which he taught them. Many of us may feel that way in the world in which we live. Our workplaces, social lives, and organizations to which we are apart have many diverse ways of thinking and complex socialities. We may have experienced discrimination, or feeling like we do not belong, are not respected or important.
But our Advocate knows all these feelings and has suffered them with you. And like the resurrected body of Christ, we will one day also be perfected.
In John 10: 16 Jesus said, "Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd." After Jesus was resurrected, He also visited other nations. One such is recorded in The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. This is a picture of Jesus healing the sick in the Americas. But the great thing is, no matter where we live in this world or who we are, we are a Son or Daughter of God, and Jesus has shown he will travel anywhere to provide that comfort and healing.
May your Easter not be filled with sadness at his death, but love and peace, knowing there is One who knows us all because he has experienced all of you. And he can be with you now, if you let him in your life.
