CHICAGO (NewsNation) — Many people will be celebrating religious holidays this weekend as a rare crossover of Easter, Passover and Ramadan will occur, which only happens about every 30 years.
Christians worldwide are celebrating Holy Week, which includes Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. Easter commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Passover began on Wednesday and Jews are celebrating the biblical story of a mass exodus from slavery in Egypt and their protection — their supernatural and divine protection during that time.
Muslims are observing Ramadan, a holy month focused on fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
Rabbi Denise Eger and Father Francis “Rocky” Hoffman joined NewsNation’s Adrienne Bankert on “Morning in America” to discuss how the faithful can remain positive in a world that tries to take away their humanity.
Eger said this is a season of hope, explaining that Passover really celebrates the notion of liberation.
“The chaos of the world that we’re living in can feel like an enslavement for many of us,” Eger said. “So, we use these spiritual principles that are so embedded in all of these holy days about renewal and faith and rebuilding our humanity in a world that tries to take away our humanity.”
Hoffman said the lesson of Passover is to take something dark and turn it into something hopeful. It’s also the lesson of Easter. In the scriptures, when Jesus was crucified, everybody had thought that all hope was lost. But then, three days later, Jesus rose from the dead.
“It really is the season of hope because there’s life after death. You get a second chance in forgiveness of sins and that’s why people go to church this weekend,” Hoffman said.
He continued, “Yes, there is strife in the world. But, Jesus came to tell us, that if we can find the good-heartedness to forgive people, that’s where peace can grow.”
Hoffman also pointed out that Jews, Christians and Muslims have some commonality since they all share the belief in one God and they all look to Abraham, Moses and the Ten Commandments for guidance.
Eger wrote a book with interfaith perspectives on the principles of mourning, truth, rest, love, prayer, joy and hope. She said that people need to get back to the basics because people are so overwhelmed with messages that they are not loved, that they are not human.
The message of Passover is to challenge injustice, Eger said.
“It should give us hope so we can challenge the injustice wherever we live, whether it’s racism or homophobia, transphobia or poverty. This is what we have to re-imbue ourselves with, to live life bravely,” Eger said.
