From the Desk of Luke T. Bitzkie

And, thou didst bring away Captivity thence Captive, us to win. Behold, the Prophesied Redeemer has risen! The Jesus who was killed by the Roman Empire is alive again! His eyes were glossed over, but now he sees! His mouth was closed, but now he speaks! The Son of Humanity is here again, and he has come to free us from the Roman Empire! The exclamations of the disciples of Jesus on that day were ecstatic. When they saw him and recognized him, they were elated that their teacher was alive again. They had seen him hanging on the cross only two days before, and many of them also saw him placed in the tomb. The disciples saw their teacher die, but now they were seeing the impossible. They saw him alive again—and he had returned to free them at last! But, Jesus didn't free them from the Roman Empire. So, what does the resurrection of Jesus mean if he didn't free them from the Roman Empire? Why do we celebrate Easter if the resurrected Jesus returned only to leave again forty days la...

Ride on, ride on in majesty, in lowly pomp ride on to die. Last week, Jesus the Christ rode into Jerusalem—triumphant and humble, riding on a donkey. This was the Prophesied Redeemer, riding into Jerusalem to reclaim it from the hands of the oppressive Romans. But, Jesus did not rid the Romans by militant force or supernatural eviction. Instead, Jesus died. Today, Jesus is dead. He is dead, bled out on a cross with his life gone from behind his eyes. He has stiffened up, excremented, and begun to smell of rot. The mythologized loincloth does nothing to hide the  extent of his injuries, and the spear plunged into his side only confirms. Our Jesus has been murdered at the hands of the state, completely and utterly dead. Today, you may hear a preacher proclaim that "Christ is not dead forever!" But, beloved, do not be fooled. This proclamation is but a falsity. Our Jesus died on the cross. What foolishness it is to have hope when our Jesus has died. Today is a day of sorrow, not...