Do we realise how shockingly offensive the message of Easter is?

The reality for most people living in St Albans and Harpenden is that it’s all about the good news of a break from school or work, days out, time for retail therapy and the garden.

After weeks of dark evenings, economic recession and petrol scares we could do with a break.

For Christians it’s all about Good News too, but with a capital G and a capital N.

It’s Good because it’s a time to retell the story of the violent death of one man so that we could be saved from eternal death. Hence the title ‘Good Friday’. A mad idea!

It’s News because the second half of the story is that this very obviously dead man came alive again. Death had no power over him. Headline stuff.

Christians focus on a storyline that says we all fall so short of God’s standard that someone had to take the ultimate punishment we all deserve. People don’t like to hear that.

We desperately need stuff that is good today. And we love news.

But this Good News is so totally the opposite of all we think about the human race that we change it. To just good (small g) news (small n): a holiday, shopping, oh, and chocolate and bunny rabbits for some reason.

Probably because you can’t cuddle a cross, the executioner’s object of utter torture.

Either be angry at something so shocking, or embrace it and live out the consequences.

What you cannot do is to say it doesn’t matter.

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Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here