In the closing scene of “The Wizard of Oz” Dorothy is finally back home. Sitting up in her bed and surrounded by her family she passionately tells them about her journey and tries to convince them it was all real, and not just a dream. Her Uncle Henry says, “We thought there for minute she was going to leave us”, Dorothy responds “That’s just it Uncle Henry, I did leave you and I was trying to get back for days and days”. Finally, Uncle Henry asks Dorothy “What‘s this all about?” She responds, “The next time I go looking for my heart’s desire, I won’t look any further than my own back yard”
Dorothy is expressing a valuable insight here. What she was seeking was right in front of her all along.
This scene is a wonderful metaphor for the resurrection we celebrate each Easter. If our heart’s desire is eternal life with God, recognizing what is right in our “own back yard” is important awareness. Like Dorothy, we can become focused on searching for our heart’s desire as something “out there” somewhere. We look for the answers in dramatic signs, events or distant lands, instead of within and around us.
Living as Easter People
The challenge of living as Easter People, is how we bring our belief in resurrected life to others, as Jesus brought it to us. This means developing our ability to “re-cog-nize” the patterns of death and new life that are always unfolding around us, and how they mirror the resurrection of Jesus. Eternal life is now, not only something we are waiting for after physical death. Our lives are already part of eternity. We have the gift of being the hands, feet, and words of Christ in the world during our life time.
Spring’s Renewal Around Us
Most of us can relate to seeing the ongoing movements of resurrection played out in nature. We notice the patterns of renewal and hope in the seasons, especially in Spring as we see new life emerging around us. But it can be more difficult to see moments of resurrection in the context of our daily lives and in human relationships. Every time we accept daily opportunities to begin again and realize yesterday’s failures are not final, we are experiencing resurrection. When we have the presence of mind to choose forgiveness over resentment, we are living resurrection.
Awake to Your Life’s Meaning
As Dorothy returns home and shares her discovery, there is new energy in her voice. She has suddenly woken up, and she will start living differently. Her new understanding about seeking and finding, reminds us that God’s presence and love have always been there, even when we have searched far and wide for meaning. Easter becomes a celebration of what has always been, the rediscovery of God’s love here and now, not a far-off desire but one that is already rooted within us and in our communities.
Seeing With New Eyes
Dorothy’s final line, “there’s no place like home”, is about discovering that the familiar and the simple, is where true peace and joy are found. As Easter people, we know the resurrection experience is about seeing things with new eyes. As we move into these weeks of Easter, as we see God in the present moment, we are experiencing resurrection and we are home.
