An Easter Parable – The Desecration & Thoughts on Resurrection

We want to offer a portrayal of the Easter story in a somewhat different kind of story – a parable, you could say.

This story was originally created by Jessi Turri on a program called “Unfolded”. The stories of this podcast are meant to be, as the authors say, “Stories that reveal,” where they take Biblical ideas and references and recreate them in stories with the intention of pointing towards meaning without necessarily defining it for you.

The hope of this story is to present the image of Resurrection in a way that forces you to make connections; to present the Resurrection account in a way that draws out understandings that you might not otherwise stumble upon.

You can find more about this podcast and its creators at unfolded.jessiturri.com.

Introduction This story comes from the genre of fantasy and is a bit mythological. For that reason, it can bedifficult to follow as the names and places are made up and utilize a language that is different from our familiarity.

Here are a few descriptions to help you reference your way through the story.

Hatuskgar – the land in which the story takes place; synonymous with the “Earthly Realm.”

Theonym – the main character, a human from the “Earthly Realm” who also narrates the story.

Lord Ellesmir – the “God” figure of the story. A transcendent creator who gave the instructions of truth, love, and beauty. Ellesmir’s presence was found in the manifestation of the Earthly Realm.

Elo-Turris – Ellesmir’s home; a tower that could be seen from anywhere in the Earthly Realm. This tower is impossible to reach; yet there is a tradition that you could access the tower by one method: to be invited by Ellesmir himself.

The Elders – religious-like figures who sought to continue the way of Ellesmir and claimed to speak for him. They also brought teachings that seemed antithetical to the ancient ways. This led to “The Agitation” where humans were told that the physical realm was bad. The movement that followed was called “The Desecration”.

Lacrimis – the leader of this movement called “The Desecrator”. An old woman, she was said to be horribly disfigured by Ellesmir and now she inhabited the tower of Elo- Turris. Upon the destruction of the tower, Lacrimis went to the land called Alumit where the climax of the story takes place.

The Desecration

As I sat against the old rough bark of a pine tree near the clearing, watching the blonde laces of sunlight filter down through the trees of Alumit, the forest of many secrets, I decided that I had to venture onward. Somehow I knew my path would lead me into that dark, menacing wood eventually. But no matter how hard I tried to deceive myself, I still feared that place. I think all of us in the village did. My home was the humble village of Feldunim in the land of Hatuskgar, situated in the heart of the Earthly Realm. I loved my land and I loved my village. It was all I knew. My parents named me Theonym, the Impudent, after my father. The name, they said, was fitting because when I was born I had the audaciousness to piss in the face of the physician, and they say I have been shameless ever since. Mother and Father did teach me, however, to honor The Elders, but instructed me to follow the ancient ways of truth, love and beauty. These ancient teachings were said to have been handed down from our Lord Ellesmir, the Immortal, who reigned and ruled over all the known lands as our loving father for all time. Ellesmir’s home, Elo-Turris, a tower that reached into the heavens, could be seen from anywhere in the Earthly Realm. Many travelers wandered for days attempting to reach the doors of Elo-Turris, only to find that despite the miles and miles traversed, the great tower remained forever in the distance, always just out of reach. The only way to reach the tower, it was said, was to be invited by the Lord himself.

The stories go on to say that in the unlikely event that one did encounter the Immortal One in person, a dazzling glow would emanate from that blessed individual’s face for days to come, a residual effect of being in the glorious presence of Lord Ellesmir. However, despite the fact that Ellesmir had never been seen in person by a commoner, his Immanence was unmistakable. His gentle presence was felt by all the people of The Earthly Realm, and they never questioned his love and authority to rule his land or his people.

For eons the tribes of the land lived at peace with each other and enjoyed prosperous harmony with nature and all other creatures of the Earthly Realm. Our people worked the land, taking what we needed from its abundant offering while being ever mindful not to disturb the gentle balance of life that was in place. The Earthly Realm at that time was a blissful paradise filled with love, peace, kindness and goodness; Lord Ellesmir, the Immortal, had done the impossible: effectively banished all fear of death from the land.

It was during the Celestial Epoch when they arrived. I remember my parents telling me the ancient myths about how things began to change when The Elders appeared. They claimed to speak for Lord Ellesmir, and they brought with them many teachings. Most of the doctrines The Elders bestowed were already ingrained in the hearts of the people, but they also brought other teachings, ones that were deeply antithetical to the ancient ways.

The Elders claimed that Lord Ellesmir was transcendent in nature, and that the reason he kept himself isolated in the tower of Elo-Turris was because he could not bear to be in the presence of mortals that occupied the animal domain. In fact, The Elders conveyed disgust at anything that resembled or brought to mind fleshly existence.

Bodily fluids, sex, deformity, gore, and corpses, for example, were considered by The Elders to be vulgar and disgraceful to Ellesmir. The Elders taught that humans were not like the rest of the creatures that inhabited the Earthly Realm, and that we should, in essence, deny our physical bodies and strive to be holy and transcendent like our beloved Lord. Gradually, over thousands of years, the ancient times of bliss faded from the memories of the people, and The Elders’ twisted teachings infected the populace. It was during my lifetime then, that the agitation occurred. The Elders’ teachings brought great misery to Hatuskgar, which inevitably lead to great contempt. One after another, people began to reject the teachings of the Elders and the transcendence of Lord Ellesmir.

At first I didn’t’believe that it could happen, but now I could tell it was beginning. The shift was starting and people were beginning to get nervous because it seemed to be spreading. This movement was known as The Desecration.

The unlikely leader of this acrimonious movement was an old woman named Lacrimis, who was known as The Desecrator. Stories of her once being an Elder floated around the land, and she was said to have been horribly disfigured by Ellesmir himself and banished to the shadows of Alumit. Lacrimis had many secret followers and it was clear that at this moment something ominous bubbled just beneath the surface of Hatuskgar.

It was because of Lacrimis that I found myself staring at the dark entrance of Alumit, trying to overcome my fear of wandering into its dark abyss. The night before, Nuntius, one of the Desecrator’s messengers, had payed me a visit. He conveyed that Lacrimis requested an audience with me, and made it perfectly clear that if I did not meet with her she would plunge the land of Hatuskgar into utter despair and darkness. Knowing that I was loyal to the old ways of Ellesmir–and seeming to anticipate my disbelief at the plausibility of Lacrimis’ threats–Nuntius pointed out the window toward the tower of Ellesmir, Elo-Turris. It was then that I witnessed the impossible: billows of smoke rising from the tower of the Eternal Lord. The agitation was no longer just resentment and rejection located in the hearts of people, I thought to myself. The home of Ellesmir had been destroyed, and The Desecration become visible.

Nuntius went on to explain that Ellesmir had narrowly escaped the assault on Elo-Turris and was now on the run and in hiding; not even the High Elders knew of his whereabouts. Some were passing on the rumor that he had fled to the forest of Alumit to locate and face The Desecrator herself.

Many questions ran through my head at this time. Among them, I wondered how Lacrimis’ agents were able to reach Elo-Turris without invitation. More importantly, however, I wondered what Lacrimis wanted with me. Did she think I, a poor commoner from Feldunim, knew something about the whereabouts of the great Lord Ellesmir? When I pressed Nuntius for answers to these questions he became reticent, and refused to disclose any more details about The Desicrator’s plan .

The next morning I awoke and hurriedly packed a small bag. As I was told, I took only enough provisions for one day, and nothing else except for the clothes on my back. Nuntius guaranteed me safe passage through the forest and gave me detailed directions to Lacrimis’ cottage. If I strayed off the path he cautioned, my safety could not be assured. He threatened that I did not know what horrors awaited me in that dark place, and that even Lacrimis’ most loyal followers would not venture into that perilous wood.

As estimated, the journey to Lacrimis’ cottage took exactly half a day on foot. I stayed tight to the path and followed the directions given to me by Nuntius. Immediately upon entering that dark wooded tomb, an unrelenting feeling of despair settled upon me. The forest of Alumit was not always a place of ruin. Many say that Alumit used to be a forest of abundant life, filled with animals of wondrous variety and trees that bore the most exquisite fruit. But when The Elders, in their disgust, began to send the corpses to the forest, darkness began to settle upon it. Alumit was no longer filled with abundant life, it was now filled with death.

Slowly, as I made my way down the gloomy wooded path, a small cottage became visible in the distance. Upon arriving at my destination, two things struck me as odd: First, the modest, hand built cottage that lay before me was not what I expected the feared Desecrator to be inhabiting; Second–and this was the most peculiar–the seal of Ellesmir, The Immortal, was branded upon the door.

As I walked toward the cottage entrance, dead leaves cracking beneath my feet, I felt my heart begin to beat loud enough to be heard through the thin cabin walls. I am confident that the dread which engulfed me at that moment had not been felt by any human being in The Earthly Realm since fear itself was banished by the hand of Ellesmir. This was a fear that I now realized had slowly been returning to the land with every consummate teaching handed down by The Elders. With each step I took, I felt closer to death.

Then, with a sudden swoosh the cottage door swung open. Frozen in my tracks, I took two small breaths and slowly peeked my head through the threshold of the cottage. There, staring at me ominously at the far end of the one room shack, sat an old woman in a rocking chair next to a roaring fire. The lashing flames from the fire cast webs of shadows across her gnarled face, making her look more monstrous than I could ever have imagined. Then, without a word uttered, the old woman cracked a devious smile, raised her hand and motioned for me to enter.

As I made my way over to the empty chair across from the old woman, I became acutely aware that the place smelled of expensive, precious incense and perfumes typically used in preparation for burying the dead. Lacrimis motioned for me to sit and drink the cup of tea that was sitting on the table next to my chair. Not being able to stand the silent charade any longer, I spoke to The Desecrator.

“I don’t know why you’ve summoned me here,” I said, quaking in fright but attempting to sound indignant, “but I wouldn’t tell you where Lord Ellesmir was hiding even if I knew.”

Lacrimis looked at me, her horribly scarred face flickering in the fire light, and spoke in a voice that sounded like gravel, “You, Theonym the Impudent, are here to save your people, and all of the Earthly Realm. Deliver this message to those who will hear it:

Do not fear the one who haunts the ages Those who suffer will always rise and sing Two opposites; but now long-hidden pages Are opened, liberating truths they bring. Life is only death, or death is life disguised, We endure this time of death until by Life we are surprised.

When Lacrimis finished the poem she rose to her feet and promptly motioned toward the door, suggesting that I take my leave.

Dumbstruck and exceedingly confused, I was left speechless. I shook my head hoping I would snap out of the horrible nightmare. After mulling over a few possible retorts to the old woman’s speech, I decided my best option was to pick up my bag of provisions and make my way to the door. Then just as I was about to exit the cottage, I glanced back at the old women. To my astonishment I saw drip from her eye, a drop of the only bodily fluid that did not disgust and offend The Elders–a glistening tear.

I hurriedly marched straight back to the village of Feldunim, staying close to the path I was shown. My encounter with the one known as The Desecrator was unexpected to say the least. Her words puzzled and angered me, but yet I sensed something great had been accomplished even though I had done nothing. Despite the dark days that lie ahead, I was filled with an odd sense of hope.

As I approached the village gates, the guard on duty stopped me in my tracks; A look of astonishment and awe filled his face, almost as if he had seen an apparition. I asked the guard if there was something wrong, and without saying a word he pointed to my face and held up his shield.

My reflection peered back at me, and my face was aglow, radiating a brilliant yellow, dazzling light.

Overwhelmed, but fully at peace, I looked back at the guard and whispered to him the poem that Lacrimis had recited to me.

Responsive Thoughts:

What does this story reveal to us about Jesus’ incarnation, life, death, & Resurrection?

This story seems to give a picture of the Biblical story as a whole. The state of creation is comparable to the land of Hatuskgar in the story. The image of Lacrimis is one of surprising presence. God shows up in an unexpected way to confront the trajectory of the world and turn it around.

Is this the point of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection?

That God has not given up on the world and, in fact, is actively remedying what has gone wrong?

Specifically, the language of death is helpful. The issue with Genesis chapter 3 is not sin (the word doesn’t appear in the entire chapter). The issue is death. Sin, then, seems to be the result of death – in our fear of (and attempt to escape) death, we sin. We miss the mark. We live away from the truth, love, and beauty the world is intended to go.

The intervention of Ellesmir in the story is comparable to the intervention of Adonai in our story.

But what about the process through which God intervenes? While Lacrimis is involved, it seems that Lacrimis simply begins a reversal of the situation. The fact that many don’t recognize Lacrimis and that her method doesn’t match what many might expect from an incarnated presence is also of note.

Her important move for how her work will spread to all of creation is quite similar to what we see from Resurrection.

Paul talks about how Jesus’ resurrection begins the resurrection of the dead.

The response of Jesus’ disciples, after Jesus rises, is to go and continue the effects of Resurrection in the world.

It seems pretty clear that resurrection is not the point, but the means for God to turn the world upside down. To defeat death through love and set all things right. But it is also a process and, as we see in the Gospels and in early church history, that process involves us.

A word on salvation is necessary. The Biblical picture of salvation is the restoration of Israel from exile and a renewal of that community so that they can continue their mission that started in Genesis chapter 12. To be saved was to be welcomed into that community and to be transformed into its mission which was the transformation of the whole cosmos. Interestingly, the prophets call this “the forgiveness of sin.”

Salvation, then, is about the healing of the world – similar to what is happening in Hatuskgar.

The process of salvation is resurrection, which overcomes death through love, and offers a new way of being human in contrast to all that had gone wrong.

Jesus begins this, but in order for salvation to be completed, it will require people embodying that salvation and spreading it to the world.

In respect to our contemporary situation, the world we create spreads like a virus. One can be a virus of fear and death, selfishness and antagonism. This will spread and has, indeed, spread. Yet, Resurrection is also kind of like a virus (it’s a metaphor, but I think it works). Jesus initiates this movement, but we, in receiving this gift, in being brought into Israel’s covenant, are meant to continue this work until it takes over as the restored order of the world.

Is this why the early church saw itself as a revolution? A new way of being that will create a restored world, a restored creation, and, even, a fulfillment of what began in Exodus?

Is this also why the Gospel of Mark ends the way it does?

Mark 16v6-8:

But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

This strange “young man” is sitting by the tomb as three women are there looking for Jesus. They find out that resurrection has started – the reversal of the world’s situation has begun.

But how is the world going to find out?

How is the resurrection going to spread?

They are supposed to go tell everyone.

But they don’t.

They stand there, scared.

The implication is, first, that Jesus’ death and resurrection didn’t finish something – the process still had to continue. When Jesus says, “It is finished,” it initaties the beginning of a new story just like when God says creation is finished – only to mean that the existence of creation is just getting started. I believe it is the same with Resurrection.

Secondly, the implication is that the way it will continue is through us.

We are characters in the story on whom this story’s continuance is dependent.

This is what I see happening in the poem of Lacrimis:

Do not fear the one who haunts the ages Those who suffer will always rise and sing Two opposites; but now long-hidden pages Are opened, liberating truths they bring. Life is only death, or death is life disguised, We endure this time of death until by Life we are surprised.

What Jesus started, what Jesus showed us, and what Jesus compels us to continue is the overcoming of death that has rampaged the world since Cain killed Abel and Egypt reversed creation to the point that darkness and death consumed everything.

And the way Jesus showed and initiated to do this?

Love.

Following the shalom of God with such tenacity that it infects every speck of creation.

Like Theodym, the responsibility has been handed to us. You see, Lacrimis, the apparent disfigured “Desecrator” was actually Ellesmir. When the main character comes in contact with this old woman, his face glows – just like the people said it would if you see Ellesmir.

Theodym, then, has been given this experience, this faith, and this gift.

And his responsibility is to begin the work of spreading that gift.

That is how God has chosen to restore the world.

That is how Resurrection is going to continue.

Through us.

Overcoming death with love. Moving from selfishness to selflessness. Being so transformed by the work of God that we spread that transformation like a virus.

When we move from where we are to where God dreams for us to be in how we live, we move the world with us. When we close the gap that exists between our behavior and the fullness of shalom, the Divine imagination becomes more and more real in the world.

That is our invitation.

And salvation – the restoration of the image of God in all things – will result.

But we have to live it. We have to spread it. We have to be Resurrection people that infect this beautiful world that is not only possible, but that is bursting forth in our midst.

Jesus’ death and resurrection makes that possible.

Our response will make it a reality. A Benediction For Easter:

We leave you with this – one long sentence that articulates the Gospel and this image of Easter in a beautiful, compelling way:

Written by Michael Gorman, Theologian at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, Maryland:

The Gospel is a community-forming, theo-political message in continuity with the story of Israel and in distinction to the imperial gospel of Rome and other powers that was centered on God’s crucified and exalted Messiah Jesus, whose incarnation, life, and death by crucifixion were validated and vindicated by God in his resurrection and exaltation as Lord, which inaugurated the new age or new creation in which all members of this diverse but consistently covenantal and dysfunctional human race who respond in self-abandoning and self-committing faith thereby participate in Christ’s death and resurrection and are justified (or restored to right covenant relations with God and with others), incorporated into a particular manifestation of Christ (the Lord’s body on earth, the church, which is an alternative community to the status-quo human communities committed to and governed by the Caesars of the world and values contrary to the gospel), and infused both individually and corporately by the Spirit of God’s Son so that they may lead cruciform lives with hope and love towards both neighbors and enemies – a love marked by peaceableness and inclusion in joyful anticipation of the resurrection of the dead, the age to come, and the renewal of the entire creation to that paradise for which

God dreams the existence to, again, be.