THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD
4 APRIL, 2021
[I do trust that the readers of this blog and site, absolutely new today, will be patient with the author (me) as I learn the software from the ground up. And I thank you].
“He is risen! He is risen indeed!”
We of the faith know the story. The women arrived at the tomb where Joseph of Arimathea had His body laid, They arrived at first light, for the express purpose of caring for the needs of the body of Christ [Altar Guild ladies, keep that factoid in mind when the political correct types want to add men to the Altar Guild, Tell them to kiss off, for that privilege is thereby reserved to you].
However, they were in for a real surprise, for no one was home. Imagine what ran through their minds.
No one at home! An empty tomb, known by friend and foe to have been ‘occupied’ only a few hours earlier?
I digress a bit now. For it is also Qingling Day among the Han Chinese. “Tomb-Sweeping Day”.
Hmmm… Tomb Sweeping… The Chinese have observed this festival for over 2.500 years among mixed reviews from their imperial overlords. But they do persevere annually to gather to tend to the needs of their ancestors
What intrigued me about this festival is that it landed ‘naturally’ on the day that we Christians in the West celebrate resulting from an empty tomb. Talk about Tomb Sweeping! But I was impressed about the conjunction of the dates. For the Han Chinese date the Qingling observance from the Spring Equinox, just as we date our Easter.
Why the Equinox? Because it is embedded in the natural order. Thus considered, it is no surprise that two disparate belief systems should date their distinct observances beliefs from the same natural event witnessing to the newness of life.
It’s called “natural law”. And many belief systems hold natural law in common.
We are frequently criticized for dating the birth of Jesus at 25 December from the winter equinox and an attempt to displace ‘pagan’ festivals After all it was the observance of the birth of Sol Invictus or some other deity. But what our critics missed is that experienced changes of light in any culture will begin with the renewal of light as that culture has experience of it.
Common origins given a common experience of the natural order? You judge…
The breakpoint occurs when ours involves a diametrical opposition of the most natural, life and death. For given an empty tomb, someone is not at home…
And what a Tomb Sweeping! He is risen! He is risen indeed!