Today is Holy Saturday 2015. Just as his first followers did two thousand years ago, Christians mourn the death of Jesus on the cross just twenty four hours ago. We remember that on this day "Jesus Christ lay in death's strong bands," as one hymn declares. As we continue to reflect on his death, I want to frame some contemporary adjectives around Christ's passion, with the aim of capturing some of their sting to modern sensibilities.
In the hours of his passion, we can see Jesus as:
A political prisoner --- his life a bit piece in the struggle between occupied and occupier.
A second class citizen --- living under the power of Rome but denied the right to appeal to Caesar.
A victim of abuse --- verbal and physical, including the sexual humiliation of naked crucifixion.
A victim of torture --- cruel and unusual punishment in the extreme.
A victim of violent extremism --- targeted by an extreme religious prohibition.
A martyr --- killed on account of his declaration of faith in who God is and God does.
When we consider these categories, and the hundreds of millions around the world who live and die in the same sad and violence spaces, we see that Jesus "is no stranger to brutality." (The abbott in the movie "Gods and Men".) It is, paradoxically, a cause for hope that God will redeem all of this suffering, having suffered the same himself.
In the hours of his passion, we can see Jesus as:
A political prisoner --- his life a bit piece in the struggle between occupied and occupier.
A second class citizen --- living under the power of Rome but denied the right to appeal to Caesar.
A victim of abuse --- verbal and physical, including the sexual humiliation of naked crucifixion.
A victim of torture --- cruel and unusual punishment in the extreme.
A victim of violent extremism --- targeted by an extreme religious prohibition.
A martyr --- killed on account of his declaration of faith in who God is and God does.
When we consider these categories, and the hundreds of millions around the world who live and die in the same sad and violence spaces, we see that Jesus "is no stranger to brutality." (The abbott in the movie "Gods and Men".) It is, paradoxically, a cause for hope that God will redeem all of this suffering, having suffered the same himself.
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