Nihilisms Come and Go, Sir

Friedrich Nietzsche

In his treatise “The Gay Science” (1881), German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote:

“After Buddha was dead, his shadow was still shown for centuries in a cave – a tremendous, gruesome shadow. God is dead; but given the way of men, there may still be caves for thousands of years in which his shadow will be shown. – And we – we still have to vanquish his shadow, too.”

The God-vanquishers, of course, are still foolishly indulging their idol pleasures today. But it’s hard to “vanquish” the shadow of a man who has, indeed, risen from the dead….and who is, in fact, the true source of Light (and Eternal Life.)

Nihilisms Come and Go, Sir

Learned scholars have all tried it…
(These philosophies die hard!)
Yet their shadows flicker dimly
Even while Pride’s standing guard.

“Higher critics” Self-indulging…
While the natural man agrees.
In the end, though, High-Held Gnosis
Will be vanquished… verily.

Thomas doubting dwells in darkness…
Still the Light of Truth remains.
Nihilisms come and go, sir…,
But it’s Christ the King who reigns.

“Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave.”
—G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man

He is Risen!

“Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
—Matthew 28: 1-10