The Cardinal of Ethnicia dies, so the Vatican sends an emissary to interview the three Bishops of Ethnicia to determine the best candidate to succeed the old Cardinal.
The emissary greets the first Bishop, and says, “let’s start with an easy one. What’s the meaning of Easter?” The first Bishop leaps right with, “ah, yes, Easter, very popular with the children. The kids all dress up in funny clothes and go door-to-door asking for candy!” “No, that’s Halloween,” says the emissary, “please send in the next candidate.”
The second candidate is then posed with the same question: “What’s the meaning of Easter?” “Easter!” cries the second Bishop, “Very popular with the children!! A big guy gets dressed up in a red suit and delivers presents to all the good kids around the world!” “No,” sputtered the emissary through gritted teeth, “that’s Chirstmas, and not even.”
The third Bishop is summoned and told, “if you want to be Cardinal, all you have to do is tell me the meaning of Easter.” “Easter? That’s easy,” says the third Bishop. “Long ago, in the Holy Land, there was a time of great strife. The people were unhappy with the brutal rule of a distant empire as well as with the collaboration of the conservative local leaders.”
The emissary began to relax. “Excellent. Please continue.”
“Into the midst of these troubles came a good man preaching a gospel of love and peace, but he became so popular that he upset the powers-that-were. So they conspired to put this good man to death.”
The emissary started drawing up the nominating document. “And after he died . . . ?”
“Yes, that’s the interesting part, isn’t it?” said the third Bishop. “He was buried in a cave, the entrance to which was blocked by a big boulder. And after three days . . . ”
“Yes, after three days . . . ” the relieved emissary sighed as he dipped his pen in ink.
“After three days this good man came forth from the cave, saw his shadow, knew there would be six more weeks of winter, TURNED around, went BACK into the cave . . . ”
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Composing members:
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