The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1902-04-05
Gle fact Chat
easter Symbols.
Bishop Seaman in Salt Lake Tribune.

Jesus Christ was a Goldman. On
Good Friday we see man, and on to-
day. God On Friday we see man with
all his mortality and infirmities; on
today we behold God in all the omnipo-
tence and splendor of his divinity.
Calvary and the tomb with all their
attendant sufferings, sorrows and anx-
ieties, are symbolica! of human life,
While Easter. with all its strength,
splendor and glory, represents the glor-
| iouS after life, divine and eternal. The
short-lived gloom and agony of Cal
vary teach how quickly the trials,
crosses and temptations of this life
shall pass away, and, if borne with the
spirit of Christ. shall be succeeded by
the ineffable splendor and glory of our
eternal resurrection. In the Christ OF
Calvary the human eye can discern
nothing but utter human weakness
and impotency; and the thief dying at
his side, who saw in that dense mass
of infirmities, Omnipctence, must have
received d shaft of light from the very
throne of the eternal
The resurrection of Christ is, evil
IDENTIFY, the most important fact ever
presented to mankind. 1t logically
proves the divinity of Christ; for on the
supposition that he was not God, the
Deity or Godhead, by the exercise and
manifestation of his omnipotence, con-
firmed a falsehoodand thereby purpose
ly deceived the civilized world ever
since and will continue to do SO until
the end of time. If the seIf-resurrect-
ed Christ is not God, as he constantly
claimed, even to his dying breath on
the cross, then the conclusion is in
evitable, namely, that there is no God,
or, at least, no God who regards us as
his creatures or children; no God but
one who glories in tormenting and de-
ceiving US! The resurrection being,
therefore, proof of Christ's divinity,
God as a most solid and rational basis
for our faith and practice, as Chris !
tians. For, if Christ is God, then his |
word is the law of human life. his |
eaching Interchangeable and infallible, |
and all his commandments are to be |
obeyed by all who would live rational
life. The resurrection is also an assur-
ance of our Immortality and a pledge
that we also, after the short, sorrowful J
Good Friday of our lives, if modelled
upon that of Christ, will rise like him,
glorious and immortal on the Easter OF
our eternal life. The resurrection, be-
sides, seems as a key to unlock the
e.
Ind explain the mysterious character
f his outer life, which has so con-
ounded and puzzled the world. If all
he philosophers, moralists and wise
men of the world were to come to-
,ether for the purpose of determining
IN a plan for the refrigeration and sal
'ation of the human race and to secure
IS peace and happiness, the very last
Ian they would have even thought of [
would be that adopted by Jesus Christ.
he very thought of Calvary's tragedy J
S being the best suited to their pur-
hem to their respective homes and
ountries. And, indeed, that terrible
ragedy with ali it's refined cruelties /
nd horrifying circumstances. would !
ave ever remained a secret in the a
reast of Christ, and Would have ever t
ppeared to the world, not only pro-
'und mystery, but a profound non
,nse-a folly. stumbling block and !
Christ had not revealed it's ;
leaning and purpose in the dazzling 5
ght of the resurrection. Without the !
who could believe that in
der TO live the real life we must first
e; that true love of self means hatred :.
self; that real joy and happiness r
'me to US only through sorrow and d
lffering; that humiliation means =
poverty true riches, weak e
sss real strength and death itself a u
Glory. What series of enigmas. lc
hat a seemingly paradoxical life that
the true Christian and follower of 4.
sus Christ! And yet, how fully and s.
'autifully are all unraveled and made
telligible through the poverty, self
weakness, sorrow and
com of Good Friday, so closely and ",
rely followed by the riches, strength, fc
joy and splendor of Easter W
orning. How little and insignificant, n,
ter all, is Calvary's short night, in
ack though it was, before the eternal
nshine of the resurrection! ht
L. sCANLAN. ~
-