The Story of Easter According to Juss

/ March 23, 2008

As we were having our first post-Lent coffee after church, Juss summed up, with a slight expression of distain, what he had learned of Easter (apparently in Sunday School):

“Nothing happened. Jesus escaped.” 

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28 thoughts on “The Story of Easter According to Juss”

  1. They probably skipped the torture and the dead-dead-dead part in his Sunday school.
    ; )
    It was a little more emotional than usual in our church. 3 baptisms of pre-teen/teen girls and an announcement that a loooong-time parishioner had suddenly passed. It was only a few weeks after her husband had died. Last song (had been planned weeks ago) mentioned how delighted we are with newborns and how fortunate we were that thanks to Jesus these innocent could indeed face an uncertain existence.

    • How beautiful (the last song.)

      Yesterday, when I was at the bookstore, a woman was talking about the death of her father, who died last Monday. She said, “We thought he might be waiting for the Ides of March or for Palm Sunday, but no, old Irishman that he was, he waited for St. Patrick’s day. He danced a jig right through the pearly gates.” I thought her attitude was so sweet.

      On Saturday, Juss looked up at the crucifix in the Catholic church and cried, “Mommy, he’s going to die!” I explained that this was Jesus (whom he knows, but doesn’t necessarily recognize by sight) and that he came back again. I think his response Sunday was the a follow up on Saturday:

      “Mommy, he’s going to die!” — then, with disgust, “Nothing happened. He escaped.” ;-)

      • He’s going to die!

        I hope that Juss was not too troubled, but I think that his response was perfect and I hope many grown-ups heard him! We ought to be distressed, (at least a little,) by what it took to redeem us all. We should all have so much compassion that we weep for a statue.

        Love to you and all the boys: Orville, Ro, Juss, and Justin

        • Re: He’s going to die!

          Juss is resilient. He bounces back.

          Curious, I looked up the crucifix when I got home and found out that it first showed up around the 5th century and became a major part of the Catholic church in the 12 and 13th century.

          In the early days, even a simple cross was not used — still being a symbol of torture to them. Back then, apparently, when Jesus was depicted at all, he was shown as a lamb.

          • Re: He’s going to die!

            This makes a lot of sense. It takes time for a disconnect to occur, where there is a concern for people to overlook the realities of the passion and way of the cross. That also fits into the iconography debate of the late first millennium. Iconoclasts wanted to follow God’s prohibition on depicting Him, while iconophiles argued that we were allowed to depict Him now that His face was revealed to us. Christ on the Cross would violate the rule about graven images of God.

            I think that the image of the Crucifix is needed more when people are too comfortable in their daily lives and tempted to tell only part of the story. Early Christians did not need it when it wasn’t as safe to be a Christian. There was not such a fear of complacency among the faithful.

          • Re: He’s going to die!

            Our church always covers up the statues and crucifixes during Lent (except for the one on the main beam of the nave, it’s too high). Then, during the Good Friday service while we sing an ancient hymn about the cross, Fr. David unveils the big crucifix behind the altar. It’s quite startling to see it after 40 days without it; it definately creates an impact.

          • Re: He’s going to die!

            Yeah, I like that fish! Aparently, according to what I read, the lamb was the symbol that they used for Jesus. I think the fish was what they used for themselves, for Christians.

            I’ll check out the link. Thanks!

          • Re: He’s going to die!

            I want to get a fish necklace or pin to wear in place of the cross every once in a while. When I am in a fishy mood. :-D

          • Re: He’s going to die!

            I’ve been amused at the fish I see on cars. First I saw fish, then a fish with legs that said Darwin, and then a fish marked Truth eating a fish with legs.

            While I am entirely in sympathy with the Truth fish…isn’t that a kind of evolution in and of itself? ;-)

  2. They probably skipped the torture and the dead-dead-dead part in his Sunday school.
    ; )
    It was a little more emotional than usual in our church. 3 baptisms of pre-teen/teen girls and an announcement that a loooong-time parishioner had suddenly passed. It was only a few weeks after her husband had died. Last song (had been planned weeks ago) mentioned how delighted we are with newborns and how fortunate we were that thanks to Jesus these innocent could indeed face an uncertain existence.

  3. How beautiful (the last song.)

    Yesterday, when I was at the bookstore, a woman was talking about the death of her father, who died last Monday. She said, “We thought he might be waiting for the Ides of March or for Palm Sunday, but no, old Irishman that he was, he waited for St. Patrick’s day. He danced a jig right through the pearly gates.” I thought her attitude was so sweet.

    On Saturday, Juss looked up at the crucifix in the Catholic church and cried, “Mommy, he’s going to die!” I explained that this was Jesus (whom he knows, but doesn’t necessarily recognize by sight) and that he came back again. I think his response Sunday was the a follow up on Saturday:

    “Mommy, he’s going to die!” — then, with disgust, “Nothing happened. He escaped.” ;-)

  5. He’s going to die!

    I hope that Juss was not too troubled, but I think that his response was perfect and I hope many grown-ups heard him! We ought to be distressed, (at least a little,) by what it took to redeem us all. We should all have so much compassion that we weep for a statue.

    Love to you and all the boys: Orville, Ro, Juss, and Justin

  6. Re: He’s going to die!

    Juss is resilient. He bounces back.

    Curious, I looked up the crucifix when I got home and found out that it first showed up around the 5th century and became a major part of the Catholic church in the 12 and 13th century.

    In the early days, even a simple cross was not used — still being a symbol of torture to them. Back then, apparently, when Jesus was depicted at all, he was shown as a lamb.

  8. Re: He’s going to die!

    This makes a lot of sense. It takes time for a disconnect to occur, where there is a concern for people to overlook the realities of the passion and way of the cross. That also fits into the iconography debate of the late first millennium. Iconoclasts wanted to follow God’s prohibition on depicting Him, while iconophiles argued that we were allowed to depict Him now that His face was revealed to us. Christ on the Cross would violate the rule about graven images of God.

    I think that the image of the Crucifix is needed more when people are too comfortable in their daily lives and tempted to tell only part of the story. Early Christians did not need it when it wasn’t as safe to be a Christian. There was not such a fear of complacency among the faithful.

  11. Re: He’s going to die!

    Yeah, I like that fish! Aparently, according to what I read, the lamb was the symbol that they used for Jesus. I think the fish was what they used for themselves, for Christians.

    I’ll check out the link. Thanks!

  12. Re: He’s going to die!

    Our church always covers up the statues and crucifixes during Lent (except for the one on the main beam of the nave, it’s too high). Then, during the Good Friday service while we sing an ancient hymn about the cross, Fr. David unveils the big crucifix behind the altar. It’s quite startling to see it after 40 days without it; it definately creates an impact.

  13. Re: He’s going to die!

    I want to get a fish necklace or pin to wear in place of the cross every once in a while. When I am in a fishy mood. :-D

  14. Re: He’s going to die!

    I’ve been amused at the fish I see on cars. First I saw fish, then a fish with legs that said Darwin, and then a fish marked Truth eating a fish with legs.

    While I am entirely in sympathy with the Truth fish…isn’t that a kind of evolution in and of itself? ;-)

  15. The Christmas my Beetle was three, he’d been asking when the Baby Jesus would arrive – he seemed to have confused the story of Christ’s birth with the legend of Santa. We tried to correct him, but he would not be swayed.

    So eventually we were sitting in church on Christmas Eve waiting our turn to go up for Eucharist. A young woman with a tiny baby came walking past our pew, and the Beetle stood straight up, pointed at the young mother and announced, “I TOLD you the Baby Jesus was coming tonight!”

  16. The Christmas my Beetle was three, he’d been asking when the Baby Jesus would arrive – he seemed to have confused the story of Christ’s birth with the legend of Santa. We tried to correct him, but he would not be swayed.

    So eventually we were sitting in church on Christmas Eve waiting our turn to go up for Eucharist. A young woman with a tiny baby came walking past our pew, and the Beetle stood straight up, pointed at the young mother and announced, “I TOLD you the Baby Jesus was coming tonight!”

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