Saturday, April 20, 2019

The Saturday of Light


Spire of Notre-Dame
(July, 1962)




Cross in Notre-Dame de Paris after the fire 
(4/15/2019)


The fire of Holy Week 2019, Notre-Dame de Paris, brings attention to a long history of church fires and their origin in hatred and separation.  What does it mean for a “people of the resurrection”?  

One answer appears in our confessions that happen as we state our belief in all the events before the resurrection.  That event appears in the Apostle’s Creed, “he descended into Hell”.  We so often miss this part of the Easter story!  This was the message of Kate Bowler in her Lenten reflection, “The Harrowing of Hell”.  She tells it better, so take a listen!

So the triumph of Easter is not just triumph over death, it is also the promise of triumph over evil and all of “Hell’s Fires”.   In the city of “lights and shadows” the world has seen the Light that overcomes the darkness of Hell.  What a healing word of Hope that we can celebrate this “Saturday of Light”.

Marvin




References: 

Personal Photo from when I first visited Notre-Dame de Paris

CBC News,  Macron Promises to Rebuild Notre-Dame Cathedral after fire, seeks international help.

Willimon, W,  Arsonists at Play: Church Burnings in Alabama

Bowler, K.  The Harrowing of Hell

Hage, M. L. (2013). Resistance/Resilience.