Saturday 23 April 2011

RIP Jesus?

And a hush settles on Hades. It's been a funny few days. The one in charge so much busier than usual - rushing about, getting involved in affairs upstairs in a much more direct way than normal.

Of course, he's always been more interested in what goes on up in the daylight.  Down here, he's happy to leave security to the underlings. Not that this is really his domain, of course. This is just the holding camp. The transit station, where they wait to be moved on to the "delights" ahead. Still, the gates still hold firm. And himself was ever so pleased to welcome his latest "guests". Though he's still looking around for a rebel he seems to have mislaid. Not normal, losing them. Still, we're awaiting the heretic rabbi now. The one who's been causing all the fuss. We nailed him in the end.

When there's a knock at the door. No need, mate, it opens inwards fine. Just give it a push.
No, I said a push, not a bash. Someone must be really keen to get in. They normally have to be dragged down.

Well, not a bash a... a smash? A ripping. A splintering. And the sound of the doors being thrown about the place. Ricocheting off the walls. And there's people heading out. Where do they think they're going? Don't they know that's one-way? Or would be, if the doors were still there. What a mess. They're all heading out into that light. Past the "NO EXIT" sign. Can't they read? Why's the boss not doing anything about it? He's gonna be furious. Oh. He's sprawling there with someone's sandal across his throat.  That heretic rabbi's sandal.

An echo dies away, the sound of a billion voices.
"He descended to the dead. On the third day...." 

Peaceful again. Still, the rabbi's gone, and we've still plenty here.
Shame the doors got so smashed. What an utter state. It'll take eternity to patch that up. But, you can stay here if you want to.

But why would you want to? What am I thinking? Wait for me.....

Detail from the Trinity in Glory, St Alban's Holborn.
[In charitable and constructive opposition to this]

21 comments :

  1. Nice to hear the seldom aired view from down there. It sounds like a good place not to be.
    I am working on my 'get out of jail' card harder than ever.

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  2. Brilliant! Christus Victor!

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  3. p.s. may I "borrow" it?

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  4. Thanks very much.

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  5. And Ray - you don't have to work on the Get out of Jail card! Did Luther teach us nothing?

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    1. so how do you gt out when you're stuck? just asking...

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  6. Thank you for this brilliant reflection on Christus Victor. I've linked to it—hope that's ok.

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  7. Paul you are of course welcome.
    And I recommend, for those who don't know Paul's blog, heading over for a look at his consistently thoughtful meditations Getting There… 2 steps forward, 1 back

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  8. Archdruid Eileen, I have tweeted and linked to this marvellous take on the harrowing of Hell. Thank-you!

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  9. Didn't read this when you first posted it. Discovered it through Twitter today. Thanks for this. 'He descended into Hades/Hell' is a difficult concept to explain. This imaginative take helps shed some light. Christus Victor!

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  10. Thanks for posting the link to this today, as i wasn't around much in blogland back then. Brilliant. Christus Victor indeed.

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  11. Wonderful, wonderful, WONDERFUL :) :) :)

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  12. Another take on the creed, and ancient belief. Just wondering what tool was used for the harrowing, because the farmers would like one ;)

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  13. so worth a revisit

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  14. Two of our former curates went there - i.e. St Alban's Holborn, not the other place.

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  15. This is completely familiar to me as an Orthodox Christian (currently Greek, but prefer Russian), as it's what we teach about Holy Saturday. Holy Saturday is when EVERYTHING happens. The Resurrection is just to prove the point.

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  16. Absolutely brilliant! May I copy onto our parish webpage?

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    1. Yes, of course, feel free, Bronwyn. A credit and URL would of course be appreciated.

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  17. 10 years after I read it for the first time. Not sure that time has dulled its impact. But of course it projects hope for all of us who worry about Hell and Damnation, there is an escape clause. Follow Jesus, faithfully.

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