JUST FOR THE WEEKEND
Monumental events usually require large chunks of time to leave their
significance. Our nation is bogged down in a depressing war; year after year it
goes on. Some of us remember other such times when it seemed no end would come.
Those years left their mark upon the world and especially upon our country. This
dragged-out affair will also leave its mark, because, ultimately, there are no
winners in war. We are talking about years and their effect. Presidential terms,
especially when back-to-back, usually leave their mark on a nation’s history.
Monumental events take time.
However, one weekend long ago something happened which was the most
monumental event, or sequence of events, the world has ever known. It happened
on a weekend, basically. An itinerant rabbi (teacher) in a remote corner of the
world went about doing good and saying good things. It wasn’t the first time
someone came along and did good was well as spoke good things. But, he caused
such a stir, that plots were made to get rid of him, and the plots were
successful. He was horribly executed and buried. That should have been the end
of the matter. People aren’t usually remembered for more than 75-80 years.
That mere weekend was different, however, because on that same weekend, the
teacher was raised from the dead and gave power to his followers to carry on his
mission to the ends of the earth until the close of the age. That mission is
still taking place, for we are the ends of the earth, and the age has
grown quite long.
"Bunk!", many people think. "It’s all made up! No such thing
ever happened. It is a fabricated story." Well, either he came back to life
or he didn’t. If he didn’t, then let’s all close up shop, stop talking
about hope and heaven, and the hereafter (it is all tied together). Let’s be
the animals we tend to be anyway. Soon, I am sure, someone will come up with
something to replace the lost faith and hope, and a truly fabricated religion
will develop. If he did come back to life, then everything else about him is
validated, which means we had all better get serious about his words and his
death and its meaning. Best of all, LET’S CELEBRATE THE HOPE AND THE JOY OF
HIS PRESENCE!!
—bhm
