Free Republic

Where Is Jesus Between His Death and Resurrection? By: Msgr. Charles PopeWhere is Christ after He dies on Friday afternoon and before He rises on Easter Sunday? Both Scripture and Tradition answer this question. Consider the following excerpt from a second century sermon as well as this meditation from the Catechism of the Catholic Church.Ancient Homily for Holy Saturday (ca. 2nd century A.D.):Today a great silence reigns on earth, a great silence and a great stillness. A great silence because the King is asleep. The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up...

If we put the clues together, can we figure out precisely when Jesus died? Yes, we can! We recently celebrated Good Friday and Easter, the annual celebrations of Jesus' death and resurrection. We all know that this happened in Jerusalem in the first century. That separates Jesus from mythical pagan deities, who were supposed to live in places or times that none could specify. Just how specific can we be with the death of Jesus? Can we determine the exact day? We can. And here's how . . .  Clue #1: The High Priesthood of Caiaphas The gospels indicate that...

Meditation on Christ's Passion When you prayed in the garden, Lord, and the heaviness pressed all around you, as the full moon's light peaked through the olive trees, and your apostles snored in the shadows, and you sweated blood in the depths of your grief, how heavy did today weigh on your shoulders, with a war-torn world, mad with bloodlust, despising your peace, hot with hatred and selfish fulfilment sometimes done in the name of God, or done in the name of self, careless with all you have taught? When they tied you to the pillar, Lord, and scourged you...