Saturday, April 11, 2009

Hope in a Tomb


The passion of the Lord did not end at the cross. After the cross, Jesus entered the tomb. The tomb is the place of disintegration, where the body rots, falls apart and vanishes into dust. Jesus chose not only to die for us and with us, but also to enter this place of ultimate despair.

From this place of despair, Jesus speaks to us about hope. From this place of rotting, of bad smells, of darkness, he emerges to accompany us as we journey. Even though we are often downcast, Jesus always speaks about hope. And this hope is different from optimism. Jesus is not an optimist or a pessimist. Jesus speaks about hope that is not based on chances that things will get better or worse. His hope is built upon the promise that, whatever happens, God will stay with us at all times, in all places. God is the God of life.
--Henri Nouwen

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
--Romans 8:38-39


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