April 29, 2009

Q: How do you explain to someone that Christ died on Good Friday and we celebrate Easter not three days later but two?

A: It’s important to remember that in our profession of faith we do not say “and three days later he rose again,” but rather, “on the third day he rose again.”
According to how the Bible reckons time, a day begins at sunset (Gn 1:5 - “And there was evening and there was morning; one day”).  Jesus suffered and died on Friday around 3 p.m.: Day 1. The Gospels tell us that the disciples were anxious to bury Jesus before the Sabbath began just a few hours later at sunset.  The Sabbath, Day 2, continues through sunset on Saturday.  Jesus rose from the dead the next day, the “first day of the week” (Jn 20:1): Day 3. 

This week’s apologist is James Cavanagh, Metro Area Director of Evangelization and Catechesis for the Denver Archdiocese. Send your question for Ask an Apologist to: editor@archden.org.