JOHN DEMPSTER: Christmas nativity scenes idea expands to Easter – but does it work?
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WE’RE familiar with nativity scenes, depicting baby Jesus surrounded by Mary, Joseph, wise men and shepherds.
But I’ve just discovered you can buy “Easter scenes”, with an empty cross, and empty grave, an angel, the living Jesus himself, and one of his friends.
Is this distasteful commercialism, or does it have something to say to us?
A friend was chatting to me about “Godly play”. It’s a way of helping children to internalise Bible stories not by teaching or sharing ideas, but by inviting them to engage in the story using simple props. Such creative play leads children (and adults who recapture the child-like spirit) into a deep seeing of the story’s significance.
Christians believe in the importance of Easter. It confronts us, as we reflect on what was done to an innocent man, with the immense cruelty we are capable of as human beings. It reminds us that since Christ died for us, we can be forgiven and walk free as the burdens of our guilt are removed.
It reassures us that because Jesus has overcome death we need fear neither death nor what lies beyond it. It inspires us, giving hope and purpose as we seek to embody the spirit of this liberating Jesus in our daily lives.
But we find some of this hard to believe, and even when we do believe in our heads, the singing heart of full engagement may be missing. We need that sense of wonder which “Godly play” can give.
Looking at that Easter scene with the familiar characters was a form of “Godly play” and touched me deeply. That tomb with the rolled-away stone. “Yes!” I thought, “death is not the end and hence is not to be feared.” That Roman soldier – a reminder both of my potential for bitterness and cruelty, and of the fact that grace always welcomes those who draw near in wonder, whoever they are.
That disciple, connecting with the living Jesus – that, I thought, is me. No longer does God’s finger reach out to mine distantly across the void: now, in Jesus, God draws near.
That angel, a messenger from God, reminds me in gratitude both of the people God sends me as messengers, bringing support and encouragement, and of my role as God’s angel bringing good news.
In the Easter scene, the cross where Jesus dies is empty. A plump bird sits contentedly on the cross-beam.
It reminds me of that vision of the future where swords are beaten into ploughshares, where lambs and lions frolic together, where the human race is at peace with the God who came in love to win us back at Easter, where even work is Godly play.
