As a very young man, or rather a boy, I was the leader of a youth club. We made a magazine together, and in the Easter magazine I had the crazy idea to put an obituary on Death itself. I made an advertisement with a black cross on the top, and then I wrote:
Our feared, strong and powerful enemy,
DEATH,
has passed away.
Jerusalem, 1. Day of Easter
This little text, well, it was a bit longer and more developed in the original
version, was reprinted and quoted a few places until it was discovered by a national newspaper in our country with a very liberal attitude and printed as a joke, an example of stupidity. It became quite well known.
In fact I almost became famous the wrong way for this little Easter devotional.
Somehow I have remained proud of this idea.
On the photo above you see three metal spikes crucified. It is made to me by a Polish artist and given to me by a close friend.
It is Pain on the Cross!
It is Destruction and Evilness on the Cross!
And this has remained my understanding of Easter till this day. Jesus was crucified to set me free. Free from Pain, Destruction, Evilness and Death.
On Easter Sunday only life is folded out in front of our eyes – life in joy and fullness, everlasting life.
Happy Easter!
Rev Johan Vilhelm Eltvik
Secretary General –Â World YMCA