Happy Passover, Happy Easter

Job search can be compared with the Exodus of the Israelites. You’re in a desert walking without any sign of the promised land. It may even seem like 40 years you’ve been in transition. It may seem like that yet, more and more people are finding jobs and winning the interview and getting job offers.

In the last seven days I’ve worked with five clients regarding salary negotiations and heard back about three others landing and starting new jobs. Passover reminds us that there is a reward at the end of our suffering. Sometimes we never could imagine what lies at the end of our journey.

That reminds me of the old joke about the Priest stopping in Sister Mary Margaret’s religion class. Fr. O’Brien asks, “Sister may I ask the children some questions about Easter. “Why sure Father, we would be proud to show you how well we’ve learned our lessons, wouldn’t we children?” The children all nodded. So Fr. O’Brien asks, “Could someone tell me what happened on the first Easter?”

One girl up front, Maureen Collins quickly raised her hand and said, “Oh yes, Father, that was when Jesus came into the world.” Both the priest and the nun were dismayed. “No, my dear,” said the priest, “that was Christmas day.” Then another child, a girl named Katy raised her hand and said, “Was that when God invented the Easter Egg Father?” Shaking his head he said, “No, Katy, not at all...” “Surely Sister, you’ve covered the Feast of Easter in class!”

Sister, rather embarrassed said, “Class we discussed this just last week, remember!” The children were all sitting in their seats, looking puzzled. And then finally, with a bit of hesitation Tommy Malloy raised his hand. Quietly he said, “Father, that was a Sunday Morning, eh?” Fr. O’Brien said, “Yes, Tommy, go on...” And Tommy said, “And there was this cave with a great stone in front of the opening...” “Go on Tommy,” the priest said.  “And the stone was rolled away and the Lord Jesus came out of the cave...” “Yes Tommy,” the priest and the nun prodded the lad on in unison.

“Oh, yes, Father, the Lord Jesus came out of the cave, looked around and saw his shadow and we get six more weeks of bad weather! Is that right Father?” said a very proud Tommy Malloy.

Hopefully you’re smiling now.

In Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl comments that we can endure as long as we know that we have someone in our corner. What the holy days of Passover and Easter reminds us that we can have hope. That if we are people of faith, our God is with us. If we have family or friends we have people who love us. And regardless of how long you’ve been looking for work, you can and will find a job.

Shalom and good Passover and/or Happy Easter, Pax Vobiscum