Resurrection Day
by Mary Hudson
The King and I
Last year I had the tremendous opportunity to go to England for the Coronation of King Charles III. Our daughter, Katy Perry, sang at the concert after the event. What a thrilling experience, to be part of the first open-air concert ever on the grounds of Windsor Castle. William the Conqueror built this palatial edifice, circa 1066, and in the thousand years since, there has never been 40,000 people on the grounds as there was on May 6, 2023.
We were also asked to stay at Windsor Castle. The King invited us to join him for tea before the concert the next day. Hearing about this opportunity before leaving home, I decided to buy him a little gift.
What do you buy the King who has everything?
I settled on Santa Barbara pistachios and a Montecito Journal in a Montecito Market bag.
If you have children, you know they can be embarrassed by your every move. I knew that bringing this small gift to the King could incur an outcry. However, after checking with Lorraine Dale, Windsor Castle’s head housekeeper, I asked her if the King liked little gifts. She enthusiastically remarked, “He loves little gifts.” With that encouraging word, I started down the hallway to the elevator until Katy spotted me carrying the bag.
“What is that, Mother?” She queried.
I nonchalantly answered, “Oh a little gift for the King. Lorraine says he loves little gifts…” which promptly ended all controversy.
Reaching the bottom floor, we walked down the long hallway to the tea-room. The right wall displayed the largest existing collection of Van Dyk paintings, with magnificent Caravaggios underneath them.
A daunting 20-foot-high painting of Queen Victoria faced us as we approached the end of the hallway. But on the left was King Charles, graciously standing in the tearoom doorway to greet us.
Katy curtseyed and went in. I did the same, while mentioning I had brought him a little gift. The King was warm and welcoming and exclaimed, “I love little gifts!”
“They are Santa Barbara pistachios,” I told him.
Princess Anne was standing in the background and remarked, “We love pistachios.” Then the King looked at the Montecito Market bag, and said “Where is Montecito?”
Princess Anne swiftly explained, “That is where your son lives…”
There was a vast moment of silence.
We sat down and changed the subject.
Whoops.
Time to Forgive and Forget
If you have ever been hurt – or have hurt someone – in any situation, it is as if you want to blot it out of your mind, just forget it completely. But Easter is one of the greatest opportunities in a year to forgive and forget. Some of the last words Jesus Christ spoke was “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do…”
So, on that note, let me reflect not on my royal faux pas, but upon this holiest of holy days.
Jesus, in His dying moments on the cross, gave us the greatest illustration of forgiveness possible. The Son of God was in total agony, hanging for dear life on a wooden cross, with nails through His hands and feet, and His life blood dripping on the ground. But His first thought was not about His pain but about forgiving the people who were murdering Him. Crucifixion, it is said, is the most excruciating kind of death one can experience. He was betrayed but did not hold it against His betrayers.
This Sunday, consider forgiving someone you have put on the sidelines because they offended you. Offenses can be overcome by the grace of God.
Jesus says offenses will come, but what you do with them is another thing. You can forgive and forget, or you can hold onto bitterness and unforgiveness. The sad part about that is the only person affected by unforgiveness is you. Jesus says when He forgives us, He throws it into the Sea of Forgetfulness and remembers it no more. So, if He does that, why are we holding onto it?
“The entire plan for the future has its key in the resurrection.” – Billy Graham
“I believe in Christ, like I believe in the sun — not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.” – C.S. Lewis
"Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there." – Clarence W. Hall
"The bones of Muhammad are in Medina, the bones of Confucius are in Shantung, the cremated bones of Buddha are in Nepal. Thousands pay pilgrimages to worship at their tombs, which contain their bones. ...
“But in Jerusalem there is a cave cut into the rock. This is the tomb of Jesus. It is empty. Yes, empty! Because he is risen. He died, physically and historically. He arose from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of God." – Sir Lionel Luckhoo
This is what I believe.
May you have a blessed Resurrection Day.
Mary Hudson is a Santa Barbara native, experienced newscaster, founder of two charismatic churches, and for the past 18 years host of Arise Woman’s Conferences.
Mary I love your beautiful story, and the tears in my eyes tells me that my heart really loves it too!! There is no greater gift than forgiveness, and as you have said, the biggest beneficiary of this gift, is ourselves. Sometimes the hardest one to forgive is ourselves, and so we can not extend the gift, but like many things, forgiveness takes practice. As we practice, we find out the secret of freedom and overwhelming love and compassion for ourselves and others. This is what Jesus died for, so we must walk in forgiveness, as it is a command, and not a feeling.
“I believe in Christ, like I believe in the sun — not because I can see it, but by it I can see everything else.” – C.S. Lewis
I love this quote. Thank you 😃
Happy Easter everyone
It is a good time to resurrect ❤️