In the book "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Hunter S. Thompson talks about standing on a rise outside Vegas at the end of a particularly long and frightening drug trip. In that scene Thompson commented on how he could almost see where the wave of the 60's broke over Vegas and then pulled back. As if the 60's had risen to a great height and beauty and then crashed violently leaving behind a huge void.

In a strange way, Easter Sunday reminds me of Thompson's underground homage to 60's drug culture. . . . all the sins of church-people throughout history. . . .rising up like a great big gaudy/hallucinatory wave crashing on the shore of Christendom, at the feet of Christ.

I consider my own life, the sins of it, no less ridiculous and futile than Thompson's sojourn through the drug culture.

But thanks be to God that he sent his son Jesus to stand in our place and renew us through his great sacrifice. He died so that we will never have to, so that we might have eternal life. Remember it today, believe it, take comfort in it. Don't settle for what Thompson settles for. . . don't settle for making beauty out of suffering alone.

Life is not in the mess, life is in looking through the mess at the joy set before us in the Resurrection of Christ.