The Easter Impact
Georges Chevrot
Scepter Publishers
2021
112 pages
This is a revised edition of On the Third Day which was published in 1961, the original in French being La Victoire de Pâques 1951. It takes the events of the period after the Resurrection of Jesus and some of the readings from the Masses during Easter time and brings them to life in a most realistic and easy to read way.
In Part One the author in a dozen short chapters deals in detail with the various events that took place between the Resurrection and Jesus’ Ascension into Heaven. In each case, he looks at things from the point of view of those involved with keen understanding of the human condition and great supernatural sense. Early on, he quotes St. Paul in 1 Corinthians where he says that if Christ be not risen then our faith is in vain and we are the most miserable of people. Chevrot contrasts the firmness of this conviction with the manner in which the Resurrection was totally unexpected by the apostles and disciples.
On the third day, Mary Magdalen and the other women went to the tomb with spices to anoint Jesus’ body. The various Gospel narratives tell us of the utter incredulity at first of all the disciples who were so unprepared for the Resurrection and so dismissive of the women’s story, and later how they came to believe that Jesus had indeed risen. Chevrot paints the scenes beautifully, whether dealing with Peter and John, Mary Magdalen herself or the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He even discusses the situation of Thomas who, of course was absent when Jesus appeared to the disciples in the upper room. He makes the point that it could be no surprise that he didn’t know the other apostles were gathering – they were all scared stiff after what happened to their master just a few days before. Thomas made sure he was back with the other ten when Jesus appeared again – this apparition is dealt with beautifully by the author.
Chevrot seeks to dismantle the arguments that the Resurrection was a story concocted by the apostles – Christianity could never have originated in the death a man nailed to an infamous gibbet if it hadn’t been for the Resurrection. In one of the most telling paragraphs in the book Chevrot writes:
That they braved the Jewish and pagan authorities; that they dared to teach a moral doctrine that defies all the passions of men and insists on the most austere virtues in its adherents; that they dared to preach a religion that scandalised Jewish piety and was pure folly in the eyes of the Greeks: All this was because Jesus had given them indisputable proof of his divinity by returning to speak to them after his death, to detail their mission and outline their apostolic programme.”
In Part Two of the book Chevrot takes us through the Liturgy from Easter to Pentecost. As the book was written before Vatican Two, this presented a challenge to those producing the revised edition for example with the designation since 2000 of the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. But with a lovely touch a footnote reminds us that the Good Shepherd was a distinct example of mercy to generations. Further chapters take us through the various Sunday readings right up to the Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit.
This is an ideal book to read and reflect on during Easter time.
About the Author: Pat Hanratty
Pat Hanratty taught Science/Chemistry in Tallaght Community School from its inception in 1972 until he retired in 2010. He was the school’s first Transition Year Co-ordinator and for four years he had the role of home School Community Liaison Officer.