In my book Visions of the Church, (first published in 2004), I wrote that the strength of the stone walls, pillars, and arches of Notre Dame Cathedral “speaks of the infinite strength of the  .  .  . Church that God is building.”

It seemed as if I’d chosen a poor illustration when Notre Dame was horribly damaged by the devastating fire on April 15, 2019.

Fortunately, the resilience of the French people vindicated my choice of Notre Dame Cathedral to illustrate the infinite strength of the Church Universal that God is building through the resilience of his people.

The Cathedral was re-opened on December 7, 2024—a day that shall live in joy because the Cathedral was resurrected.

The grime of centuries was gone. All was bright and clean! The Way the Cathedral was originally intended to be!!

Just as we shall be after our resurrection:

Our robes will be washed white in the blood of the Lamb and we will join

the great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb.”

All the angels . . . fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

“Amen!

Praise and glory

and wisdom and thanks and honor

and power and strength

be to our God forever and ever.

Amen!”

(Revelation 7:9-12)

Therefore, Notre Dame Cathedral now illustrates not only the strength of God. Notre Dame also illustrates our salvation and our resurrection.

As the Apostle Paul wrote:

[S]omeone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?

How foolish! What you sow doesn’t come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be.

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.

(1 Corinthians 15:36,42-44).

Jesus taught that those who deny the resurrection of the dead are in error because they “do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” (Mark 12:24).

Therefore, they do not know the Truth of Easter.

As I wrote in Visions of the Church (first published in 2004), at 169-170:

The truth of Easter is that Jesus rose from the dead. And though this historical fact seems impossible, it nevertheless is true. How can it be? Because what is impossible with humans is possible with God. [Mark 12:24].

The truth of Easter is that our sins are forgiven. On the Cross, Jesus bore the punishment for our sins. Now, instead of suffering eternal death, we can enjoy eternal life.

And because our sins are forgiven by God and forgotten by God, we can forget what is behind and press on to what lies ahead: “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”. (Philippians 3:13-14, KJV).

The truth of Easter is that we need no longer fear death.

We should weep at the tombs of those we love just as Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35).

However, we should not grieve like those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

For we believe that we shall meet again those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. We will laugh with them again. We will hug them again. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

The truth of Easter is that there is always hope (Job 14:7).

No matter how much it looks as if we have failed. No matter how much it looks as if evil has triumphed. There is still hope.

Therefore, we must still keep the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). We must still keep loving (Matthew 24:12-13).

Because, in God’s good time and in God’s good way, God will bring good from evil (Genesis 50:19-20; Exodus 7:3-5), healing from suffering (Job 42:1-6; Isaiah 53:4-5, 10-12); and life from death (Ezekiel 37:1-14; 1 Corinthians 15:12-26. How?

Although this is impossible for humans, it is possible for God.

For “in all things God works for the good of all those who love him” (Romans 8:28). Nothing “shall separate us from the love of Christ” Not “trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword” (Romans 8:35).

[I]n all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For . . . neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:-39).

The truth of Easter gives joy to the world—joy for all Humanity!

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Do you believe the Truth of Easter? Why? Why not?

READ MORE

For my additional thoughts based on Revelation, please read “PART FIVE: Best Friends” in my book Lighting the World, at pages 155-186, and the chapters “Reaching Home” and “Celebrating” in my book Visions of the Church, at pages 207-212.

If you have doubts about the Truth of Easter, please read the chapter “Jesus Overcomes the Doubts of Doubting Thomas” in my book Hoping in the LORD, at pages 321-325; and my blog “The Way of Jesus: The Truth Overcomes Oceans of Doubts”.

My use of the phrase “a day that shall live in joy” is in contrast with Pearl Harbor: “a day that shall live in infamy”.