Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Latter-day Saint
Remembering Heaven and Thinking of the Atonement

Remembering Heaven and Thinking of the Atonement

Last updated on: May 13, 2022 at 10:34 pm by Dan Peterson

Remembering Heaven and Thinking of the Atonement 2022-05-13T22:34:10-06:00 Dan Peterson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The official film poster for “Remembering Heaven”

***

Rebecca Reynolds Lambert wrote the Interpreter Foundation’s Easter message for this year. It appeared earlier today in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship:

“Our Faithful Lord: Passover to Easter”

Abstract: Studying the origins and traditions of Passover enriches our understanding of Easter. We can deepen our own worship and expand our ritual memory by an acquaintance with these traditions. Latter-day Saints possess unique understandings that further illuminate the constancy and plenitude of the Lord’s covenantal relationship with us.

Our dear longtime friend George L. Mitton — a supporter of and sometime contributor to Interpreter who is now, I believe, in his ninety-fifth year — wrote this piece, which appeared just a few days ago in Meridian Magazine:

“The Crucifixion as a Mockery of the Judgment”

And here’s something related to Easter that I myself recently wrote for Meridian:

“An Ancient Witness of the Savior We Don’t Often Hear About”

You might perhaps find these two articles appropriately thought-provoking as we move into Easter weekend:

“The Hope Resurrection Provides Here and Now: Talk of resurrection usually hearkens to a day far off into the future when all will be made right—with little reference to the fears and despairs crowding us right now.”

“As Ramadan, Passover and Easter converge, an interfaith trolley rolls out: The rare alignment of major Christian, Muslim and Jewish holidays is fueling a flurry of interfaith celebrations across the nation this month”

***

In my immediately previous blog post, I mentioned the approaching premiere of the documentary film Remembering Heaven. You can watch the trailer for the film in several places, including here:

Remembering Heaven

***

For very nearly twenty centuries, two thousand years, Christians have rested their hopes on the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And sometimes it doesn’t hurt to consider what some of them had to say on the subject. For example, St. John Chrysostom (ca. AD 349-407), archbishop of Constantinople, delivered this Easter sermon around AD 400:

Are there any who are devout lovers of God?
Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival!

Are there any who are grateful servants?
Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting?
Let them now receive their wages!

If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.
For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.

To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.
Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!

First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!
You that have kept the fast, and you that have not,
rejoice today for the Table is richly laden!

Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one.
Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith.
Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty,
for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again;
for forgiveness has risen from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free.
He has destroyed it by enduring it.
He destroyed Hell when He descended into it.
He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh.

Isaiah foretold this when he said,
“You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below.”
Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with.
It was in an uproar because it is mocked.
It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed.
It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated.
It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive.

Hell took a body, and discovered God.
It took earth, and encountered Heaven.
It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see.

O death, where is thy sting?
O Hell, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated!
Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down!
Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice!
Christ is Risen, and life is liberated!

Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead;
for Christ having risen from the dead,
is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

This is a standard translation of the sermon, widely available online. The original Greek text is available at https://www.earlychurchtexts.com/main/johnchrysostom/paschal_sermon.shtml.

***

By willingly choosing to undergo inconceivable pain and suffering, Jesus offered himself as a vicarious sacrifice for me and for everyone that I know and love and for everyone that I ever will know and love. Today — a day that bears the ironic traditional name of “Good Friday” — is a day when believing Christians around the world think of that atoning sacrifice. It is appropriate to do so. And Good Friday also seemed an appropriate day — to my wife and me, and to a neighbor who came along with us — for us to attend the temple. In offering vicarious temple service on behalf of others who (being dead) cannot repay us, we ourselves join in cooperation (albeit in only a small way) with the Savior’s atonement. A very good Friday, indeed.

***

I close by sharing an item from the obviously inexhaustible Christopher Hitchens Memorial “How Religion Poisons Everything” File©:

“Church donates more than 2.5 tons of food in Hong Kong during pandemic wave”

Rebecca Reynolds Lambert

Remembering Heaven

Sarah Hinze

St. John Chrysostom

Previous Post

April 15, 2022

IANDS in Salt Lake City

Next Post

April 16, 2022 Holy Saturday

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 March 2014 August 2013 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandals"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John the Baptist Thomas Peter Paul