They killed Jesus finally, hanging him on a tree, only to have God raise him up on the third day. (Acts 10:39b-40a)

 

They killed Ita Ford, raped her in the back of a transit van, then shot her through the back of the head and buried her in a shallow grave. The wild youths hit the old man, kicked his ribs in, left him to die in the gutter, just for the hell of it...

 

It makes you want to throw up, doesn't it? It's too hard to handle, not really a suitable subject for today. Easter is a happy day, a day for clean spring dresses, Easter eggs, family luncheons and a walk by the sea. It's a day to forget about evil, a day to thank God for the springtime.

 

All that's right and proper, I suppose. We're simple people, frail human beings and it's too difficult for most of us to sustain a paschal overview of our world for very long. Nevertheless, this view is something we should strive for because it's the only thing that makes sense of the mess in which we live....

 

To read the entire reflection, click here.