He Descended to the Dead

Have you ever submerged yourself under water, a lake or a pool, and gone down, down, down?  The light, if visible, is far-off and distorted, while all around you, enshrouding you, is a seductive, numbing kind of darkness.  You would stay below.  But, within you is the pure instinct to rise.

You are made to rise – from the pool, the grudge, the self-pity, the addiction….  You are made to rise up, to see clearly, to breathe freely – you are made for the Light.

But, what if your ability to rise is deadened by self-abuse, by sin?  Then, all that is good within you will drown.  It is for this reason that Jesus suffered – he descended to the dead so that he may always be with you.  Christ Jesus stretches out his hand and parts the drowning waters.  You need only to reach out for his mercy and he will take hold of you and raise you up to the land of the living, to the Light.

Christina Chase