MANAʻO
As we are completing a thoughtful Lenten season, we are now rejoicing in the fact that death could not hold Jesus in the grave, but rather, Ua Ola ʻO ia! He Is Alive! Christ gave up His life so that we could live a joyous life! E ʻoliʻoli ke ola! What you have given up and/or learned during lent is now a reality that we can give up or have gained now in order to receive later.
Christ can live in us and keep us Alive in Him! It is interesting that some people in Hawaiʻi are still more comfortable acknowledging “God” and yet not understand the ultimate sacrifice Iesū made for us. Many of us do honor Christ in our lives and it is very apparent here at Kamehameha Schools.
I love seeing when people conclude an email with “Iesū pū,” Jesus be with you. This is a familiar parting expression that many ʻohana Niʻihau have used and have influenced other Hawaiian language speakers and followers of Christ. That is how I now conclude many of my emails. I enjoy hearing around campus, “Praise Jesus!” For all of our athletic teams that get to the State competition level on Oʻahu, we always give Jesus the first cheer – “JESUS!!!”
Being fully aware of Mr. and Mrs. Bishop’s love for Iesū, it is fantastic that we can carry this love for Iesū on in our mission today and every day. We honor the events of Easter as the central foundation for our Christian faith, the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and we celebrate our LIVING Lord.
In Hawaiian, one of the expressions for Easter interpreted by our kūpuna is “Ka Lā I Ala Hou Ai Ka Haku,” meaning The Day of Reawakening/Resurrection of the Lord. The idea of a LIVING Lord reminds me of how important it is for us at work, school, home or play to recognize on this Lā Hemolele, this Holy Day, to keep Christ alive in our lives.
When I considered being the Kahu for Kamehameha Kapālama, I needed to ask myself why I would consider this calling. I was teaching in Kapālama intermediate for 10 years and I absolutely loved it. So many adventures with 7th and 8th graders and I kind of think and act like a middle schooler anyway. I was content not to leave; however, I knew that if the Lord needed me, I needed to be available.
I prayed often and others confided that they would pray for me to get the position as well. I asked them not to pray that I would get the position, but rather God’s choice be selected. They consented to pule that way.
When it came down to the decision, I was selected even though I did not have the most years of already being a minister, I did not have the longest time of having my Masters of Divinity and I did not ‘ōlelo Hawaiʻi as well as some of the other candidates.
I was offered the position by Dr. Chun, the president of our school at that time. I asked for a day to make my decision. I am sure he and Mrs. Blaisdell, the KS Program Services director, were wondering why. I wanted to be sure the LIVING Lord inside me was confirming that this was the right place for me.
Needless to say, it took about 45 minutes of prayer and crying. Then, the Lord confirmed this step was best for me. The two reasons He confirmed with me was that 1.) I love young people and 2.) I love Jesus. The gentleness of the Lord spoke loudly that day. I would truly let him LIVE in and through me.
Galatia 2:20-21
Ua kau pū ʻia aku au me Kristo ma ke keʻa: ua ola nō hoʻi au, ʻaʻole naʻe ʻo wau iho, akā, e ola ana ʻo Kristo i loko oʻu: a ʻo ke ola e ola nei au i loko o ke kino, e ola ana au ma ka manaʻoʻiʻo aku i ke Keiki a ke Akua, nāna au i aloha mai, a hāʻawi maila iā ia iho noʻu. ʻAʻole au e hoʻolilo i ka lokomaikaʻi o ke Akua i mea ʻole.
Galatians 2:20-21
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not one of those who treats Christ's death as meaningless.
As we all attempt to be Alive in Christ, I wondered what it meant to ola – to be alive. Here is what I found…
- To be makaʻala – alert
- To be ʻeuʻeu – animated
- To ʻike – be aware
- To be hoihoi – interested
- To be manehu – in force
- To have a kumuhana – purpose and meaning
- To be ʻeleu – prevalent and very active
- To be hoʻopā i ka naʻau – sensitive
- Continuing to be kākoʻo – supported or in use
This made me think of our pilina – relationship with Christ. Am I makaʻala, ʻeuʻeu, e ʻike, hoihoi a pā ka naʻau to the LIVING Lords leading? If I am, what does Easter mean to me in order to be meaningful? What does Christ's life, death, and ala hou – resurrection really mean to our daily lives at Kamehameha?
If we were crucified with Christ, a new life begins. Can we actually go on living the way we did before? If we experience the risen Christ, then the song from Cecilio & Kapono can ring true – “Life’s Different Now.” We are different and it is because Christ lives in us. UA OLA ʻO IESŪ! UA OLA KE ALOHA I LOKO OʻU! ALOHA LIVES IN ME!
There is another song by the group “Third Day” which speaks of this transformation:
“Well today I found myself, after searching for all these years. And the man that I saw, wasn’t at all who I thought he’d be. I was lost when you found me here. I was broken beyond repair. Then you came along and you sang a song over me. It feels like I’m born again. It feels like I’m living. For the very first time, I’m living for the first time. It feels like I’m breathing. It feels like I’m moving. For the very first time; I’m living for the first time, in my life.”
Do you see how we can be alive? I’d say this song describes “interest and meaning, being active and alive” in Christ.
For those who are interested in reading about the Evidence of the Resurrection, check out this article.
So this Easter, as we try to live the mission of Pauahi and her love for Ke Akua and her people, let us also live our lives complete by letting Christ live in us. Let us not be one of those who treats Christ’s death as meaningless. Let his death and his resurrection be significant events not only in our work life, but in our daily lives as well.
Let the words of conclusion “Iesū Pū” ring true for us this Easter that our old self is being made new through the blood and sacrifice of Iesū and more amazing that HE IS ALIVE! UA OLA ʻO IA! A UA OLA KĀKOU I LOKO ONA – WE ARE ALIVE IN HIM!
PULE
Ke ho‘omaika‘i nei mākou iā ‘oe e ke Akua ma o ke ola, ka make, a me ke ola hou ‘ana o Iesū Kristo ua lawe mai ‘oe iā mākou mai ka mana o ka make e ola ai mākou no ka hana nou. E ho‘onani ‘ia i loko o ko kākou ola ‘ana; I loko o Iesū ka Haku Ho‘ōla. ʻĀmene.
We praise you, O God, that by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you have delivered us from the power of death, making us alive to serve you. Be with us in all we do this Easter. Be glorified in our life together, through Jesus Christ our risen Savior. Amen
Hauʻoli Lā I Ala Hou Ai Ka Haku! Happy Easter!
Ua ola ʻo Iesū! Jesus is Alive!
Iesū pū.
Lent Devotionals
WHAT:
The Hawaiian-focused Lent devotionals were created for KS students, families and others to reflect on the coming of Easter.
WHY:
Kamehameha Schools envisions its learners to be grounded in Christian and Hawaiian values like KS founder Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop.
WHO:
The devotionals were developed with guidance from Kapālama Kahu Kordell Kekoa, KS Maui Kahu Kalani Wong, KS Hawaiʻi Kahu Kaunaloa Boshard and KS Cultural Specialist Hauʻoli Akaka.
WHEN:
The devotionals were posted weekly to the KS I Mua Newsroom during the season of Lent. View earlier devotionals in the section below this story.
KS chaplains Kordell Kekoa, Kalani Wong, and Brian Boshard helped create Hawaiian-focused devotionals for the season of Lent to celebrate the coming of Easter.
The Lent devotionals honor the deep Christian faith of KS founder Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop.
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