Eastover

So, big season.

Jews the world over are commemorating the divine founding of their nation with Passover. Christians are remembering the effective cosmic establishment of the forgiveness of God in the concreteness of history. This year these celebrations coincide on the calendar. But they coincide at a much deeper level.

T. F. Torrance, in “The Mediation Of Christ” formulates an integration of what he calls “the mediation of reconciliation” and the “mediation of revelation.” It is really a simple and straightforward idea: God’s actions of reconciliation in the world reveal who God is. The two events that we celebrate this season are the two pinnacles of God’s interaction with people in history and they both mediate reconciliation and they both mediate the revelation that God is most deeply a rescuer. In both Passover and Easter God is rescuing. In the first he is rescuing a particular people out of bondage to another nation with the purpose of making this people the mediators of his presence in the world. In the second he is rescuing humanity from the chaotic futility summed up in human death to the purpose of making humanity the mediators of his presence in the world to bring all creation to perfection.

However screwed up you are or you situation is, remember and think on this: God in extremis reveals himself as rescuer. And remember also that these two celebrations are the lead up to Pentecost when we remember that God not only rescues but empowers. At Pentecost God pours out his Spirit. In this God actually makes humans the very carriers of his presence, and we finally truly become his people empowered to be his creatively transformational presence in this world.