The Mystery of Salvation
Eastertide aka Paschal Time
May 8, 2024. Vol. 17 Issue 20
I have been sharing my mystery essays from Eastertide, seven years ago, and this is the last of the three. This essay was originally published May 24, 2017.
2024 Update: Eastertide or Paschal Time as it is also called will end soon, June 4th. This is the time when Jesus walked the earth as a resurrected human being. That’s the great good news reminding us that our modern daily news, however alarming, are not unprecedented. The statement from the New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan regarding the former president and possible future president facing legal consequences, even if not jail time, the $50 million tax fraud charges against Roger Ver, also known as "Bitcoin Jesus," the US antitrust trial revelation that Google pays Apple $20 billion annually to be the default search engine on iOS devices, Gaza crisis, and the breaking news of TikTok’s lawsuit against the US, all point to something deeper: human tendencies toward power dynamics, legal accountability, and financial integrity, shaping our societal structures and norms inevitably cause harm despite good intentions. In the midst of this noise, contemplating Jesus’ resurrection and life on earth invites more mundane questions. What did Jesus eat? How often did he eat? Did his resurrected body need nutrients? This kind of questioning though, alongside the political and cultural news of the world simplifies the mysterious gift of salvation. I share my original reflection first, and then an update with seven lessons I’ve learned.