Happy Easter–Culture War Is Over-If You Want It

There is so much one can and normally does for a traditional Easter post–I’ll spare you that. For Easter and Christmas I ask for and so far have yet to see the end of the culture wars–to which I would say I am a conscientious objector in what amounts to a religious nationalism masquerading as theological certainty, but that is for another time.

Next time I’ll write about the apocalyptic language some of my brethren are deploying to grasp some sense of what is now and will be in the future–a very different world.  There is way too much fun to be had there, but I have made a note to myself to note how many things have potentially ushered in the apocalypse–we’ll start with women wearing pants–but not today.

Easter should be about this marvelous symbol of acceptance, humility and service–Pope Francis washing and kissing the feet of the despised and the marginalized–Roma, Muslim and a woman.  The former despised for their cultural and religious otherness–the latter, whose very participation in this most public of Holy Week rituals sent traditionalists reeling. Women, it seems, are outside the bounds of accepted canon tradition.

John Lennon’ s Merry Christmas-War Is Over (If You Want It) is my inspiration for starting my own yearly request that for those involved in these culture wars, incapable of compromise, convinced of the certainty of their positions, Easter may be a good time to marvel at the One who overcomes the world–now if we could only get over ourselves.

Feliz Pascuas (Happy Easter)