Holy Days

It is the day before Easter. As a Pagan, my main holy day is Ostara, but I appreciate and honor all paths to the Divine as valid, and as a child I was raised Episcopalian-- those roots don't go away. I love all religions and I am fascinated with each and every one. We go to a Christian church on Easter, usually Episcopalian.

When we lived in Asheville, we went to the Cathedral of All Souls in Biltmore. What a  beautiful church that is! And Reverend (Father?) Todd Donatelli is the coolest person. I've seen him at interfaith things, and at the board meetings to push to get all religions equal treatment (or NO treatment, really) in the public schools, which is a Big Deal in the South, let me tell you. Up here in Massachusetts, it's a refreshing break not to talk about religion all.the.time. Nobody mentions it at all!

But one thing I realized out of all that religious talk down there is, I love talking about it. Not contentiously, but in a "I do God this way, how do you?". Because I find it so interesting. I don't find any of them wrong. Here is what I believe: There are many paths up the mountain, as it were. Many paths. Some go winding and meandering around, some go straight up...you get my meaning. But they're all striving to reach the top. It's the striving that counts.

Back when I was first interested in Paganism, I met a woman who identified as a Celtic Christian. I was confused enough with all the new Pagan paths I was discovering, but what was this? She told me that she honored all the Old Ways, but she couldn't give up Jesus Christ as her lord and savior. Weird, to me, but cool. Anyway, she once told me that "If you aren't in love with your religion, you're not doing it right". That really stuck with me, and I believe it, too. I don't believe in lip service only, to the Divine(s)...I believe in jumping in all the way.

So here I sit on the eve of the most reverent Holy Day in the Christian traditions, honoring Jesus' path to enlightenment, as it were....as a Witch. And I really don't see any contradiction in that.