Flesh

 'We are your own flesh and blood'

2 Sam 5:1

Christmas, or at least the Santa version of Christmas, is popular in Japan. Easter not so much. Why is this?

Japan loves cuteness, and it is hard to make a man being tortured to death cute. Secular Americans partly get over this by emphasis on 🐇🐇🐇 bunnies instead of crucifixes, and in Britain in my fairly irreligious family there was much emphasis on chocolate eggs. However, even Protestants prefer an empty cross to the Catholic one with Jesus still on it. They would say that Jesus is Risen, and therefore the cross no longer has power over Him. I am inclined to think though, in a world of suffering like ours is, the resonance of the Catholic symbol of God suffering alongside us, with us, is actually greater. So please don't be afraid of the crucifix. Only demons need fear it. To us it is a symbol of Hope. It is why Good Friday in all its bloodiness is still Good.