83 – The Real Meaning of Easter

In today’s episode, Peter and Sonny delve into what Easter really is. They touch on its meaning for us, for Christianity, and for the world.

The full audiovisual version of this episode is available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e2ROC4Cbqak

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Transcript

Sonny Maken 0:09

Welcome to the Obvious Podcast, episode number eighty-three. You like that dramatic pause? I love it. My name is Sonny Maken. I'm the CEO at ABC Florida East Coast.

Peter Dyga 0:23

And I'm Peter Dyga, President and CEO at ABC Florida East Coast.

Sonny Maken 0:28

You are watching us or listening to us on the Obvious Podcast where all opinions expressed are our own unless we say otherwise, or we have a guest on, then obviously unless a guest's opinion, not ours.

Peter Dyga 0:40

All right. And love the show. We ask you to subscribe on any major podcast platform or watch us in action on YouTube, follow the Obvious Podcast on TikTok, Instagram, X, and Truth Social. All the links you need are in the show notes. And reach out to us anytime at the Obvious at abceflorida.com. And if you're enjoying the ride, help others find us by leaving a review wherever you listen. So, Sonny, I'm going to say Good Friday to you.

Sonny Maken 1:08

Happy, happy. Can you say happy Good Friday? You say Good Friday, right? Yeah. Because it's not a day. Good Friday. Good, Good Friday to you. Same to you. April 3rd, here we are. And so today's episode is going to be a little different because we're going to talk about Good Friday and Easter and what it means to us and what the real sort of crux of the matter is. And if there's any of you that are watching or listening uh that are Good Fri uh what do we call that? Easter and Christmas Christians? I think you'll find this. C and C. Yeah. C and C and C and E. Christmas and Easter Christians. You'll find this interesting. If you're not a Christian, I think you'll find this interesting. Um because it is the holiest day on the Christian calendar. And a lot of people who aren't Christians or are sort of cultural observers of Christianity. Sure. Are always surprised because they always assume Christmas, because culturally Christmas is such a big deal. They always assume that Christmas is sort of the biggest calendar in the Christian of the Christian year. But it really is Easter. So I wanted to, you know, you go to church every Sunday. I go to church almost every Sunday, and uh we take our faith very seriously. So I wanted to kind of have a chat about Easter and Good Friday and the holy season and what that means.

Peter Dyga 2:26

All right. It's gonna be fun. It's a it'll be a good time, you know, because uh I don't know. Um, you know, unfortunately, and our whole Western culture, quite frankly, is and a lot of the values are kind of tied to. So if uh you know, if we if we can ring the bell at all, this show, I would say that's uh bell ringing worthy. Yeah. Um and I think pretty much every value we have um you know kind of stems from um the fact that Western society is a has been traditionally in a Christian society. So um so uh for me, um I mean after I would say my um obviously I was well, I shouldn't say obvious. By the way, that happened somewhere recently. Who I think it was Trump. He was in it he was in a press conference, and somebody said, obviously, you know it was when he was having their roundtable about the uh uh the sports. What I I don't follow it that closely, but the whole system now of in name and likeness. Oh, and NIL, yeah. Yeah, NIL, you know, a conversation about how to correct the problems that come out of it. And some reporter said to him, Well, obviously, you know my son is involved. And Trump said, Why was it I said, I don't know your son, and I don't know you. I was I'm pressed got so offended, but but but you know, words matter, right? And you know, this guy said obviously, so I'm so I'm here to correct myself when I say obviously. It's not obvious, but I was baptized, you know, a Christian, and for for me and my faith tradition, uh that made me a adopted, you know, son of God and uh poured all sorts of graces on me. And um it doesn't mean that later in my life, which happens for a lot of us, uh certainly in probably my teens and my early twenties, um, you know, faith was a struggle or less important. Yeah. You follow, fall away in some regard. And I had to I had to kind of like uh you know had a rebirth, if you will, you know, um in terms of my Christian faith. Oh yeah, you mean you were born again? So that's right. I mean, in in the way you guys understand it. So so but yeah, my my actual born again was when I was baptized, but you know, I had to refine my faith as many of us do. So absolutely. Um but to me the the the what it boiled down to was answering a couple questions, which are questions that I love that are in the gospel. So one is when Jesus asked, I think after his uh crucifixion and before his ascension, who do you say that the Son of Man is? Um you know, and of course, you know, Peter answered definitively at that moment, but we all have to answer that question, yeah, even to this day. Yeah. And so some people might be, what are Peter and Sonny doing talking about? Well, it's Good Friday and it's a holy weekend for many people, it's a holiday. You know, even if it's just cultural, it's still kind of hanging on there, if you will. A lot of people will do the you know, the bunny thing and the Easter eggs and the baskets. Nothing to do with Easter. Well, that's fine. If that's you know, if that's the glimmer of connection that uh some people still holding on to. You know, but that's why we're talking about it here, because uh it does have an influence.

Sonny Maken 5:19

Do you know how that even got started? Because I don't know.

Peter Dyga 5:21

I don't know the story of like what where the bunny came from or the I mean I don't know exactly, but probably like a lot of these bad things came from, you know, um Protestants in Europe, you know, like German Protestants brought the Christian. Yeah, then it's our fault. I mean, I have no doubt, you know. I mean Americans screwed up everything. Which I did want to talk a little bit about, like the experience culturally, and Mr. Producer will correct me if I get the pronunciation wrong, but Semana Santa, you know, the Holy Week. It's not just the Easter Day, but it's a whole experience in most parts of the more Catholic world, if you will. Yeah. And certainly the Latin world. And it's beautiful. I mean, I've been in Costa Rica during Holy Week and uh the processions and the beginning of a Good Friday going into Easter. Even before because, you know, obviously you had the Holy Thursday, you know, which was the Monday for my Thursday. Yep, yep. So I mean, um anyway, so it's a you know, it's a really a whole week.

Sonny Maken 6:16

So what I did want to share this with you, and I think I might have mentioned this to you. March. So let me give you some background. I have a very good friend of mine who uh he's not a Catholic, he's a he's a Presbyterian, but he's very much into sort of Thomas Merton and the whole Hens thing.

Peter Dyga 6:34

Thomas Merton, I hope. Early Thomas Murray. Well, he likes Thomas Merton was better than Lake.

Sonny Maken 6:38

He likes his whiskey too. So he's he's very much into actually he's in Scotland right now. He's very much into the whole idea of sort of being contemplative and um and quiet and sort of silence, right? Like he loves that whole thing. Close friend of yours? Yeah, very close friend of mine. And he told me years ago that to him in the whole sort of holy season, Good Friday meant the most. Sure. Right? And it took me by surprise because I really obviously was focused on Easter. And then I remember going to the Garden of Gethsemane in Israel in March of 22.

Peter Dyga 7:14

Yeah. Okay. So you've been to the Holy Land.

Sonny Maken 7:16

I've been to the Holy Land. Yeah. I'd actually took classes. I was part of my MBA program.

Peter Dyga 7:21

I was in the MBA program. So there you go, folks. Yeah. If you want to if you want some kind of whatever that our qualification or our culture can be connected to everything, even in your MBA program, you went to the but it wasn't really to go to the Holy Land. It was a good thing.

Sonny Maken 7:34

No, no, I took classes at the University of Tel Aviv. And as part of that, I went and took and toured uh Jerusalem. Okay. And I was in Israel for uh three weeks and just had an incredible um time and made it to the Dead Sea and you know, the lowest bar in the world, and saw that and went to uh Jerusalem and the Garden of Gethsemane really, you know, is what sort of took my breath away. And obviously, um I can never pronounce it. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Thank you. Sepulchre was amazing, and to see all these people from all over the world speaking all these languages, sort of having the same reaction.

Peter Dyga 8:14

Which under one church you have, you know, the site of the crucifixion, the site of the burial, the actual site of the anointing slab that some people believe he was actually anointed on that slab.

Sonny Maken 8:23

Oh, the slab, yeah. People were weeping over that slab. Like that was just so intense. Yeah. And then uh to see um his tomb, but not just his tomb, uh Joseph of Arimathea, whose original tomb uh he gave to Jesus. His tomb is like three or four tombs away, right?

Peter Dyga 8:39

Yep. With some of the uh engravings on the wall that date back to I mean, it's phenomenal. So and so and you'll never read the gospel the same if you've gone to Israel.

Sonny Maken 8:50

It's an action.

Peter Dyga 8:50

Yeah. So if you haven't been to Israel, so did you make it north? Uh to Hyfar or uh I made it to Hypher or um, but I never made it to Bethlehem. The Sea of Galilee or anything. I didn't make it there. I didn't because I realized Transfiguration or any of that stuff to make it that far north.

Sonny Maken 9:06

Because they were telling me I needed a um Palestinian tour guide. I couldn't go with an Israeli tour guide there to Bethlehem at least. Bethlehem, yes. Right. So but I didn't know. So they kept me busy with class, but I do want to go back and and look at north northern Israel. I didn't I never did see that. But the Garden of Gethsemane, like where you walk through and you see these olive trees, and I know they say a couple are as old as they do.

Peter Dyga 9:30

They say some of the roots there are good, they're date back that far, which is I don't can't believe a plant can actually do that.

Sonny Maken 9:36

But it's a phenomenal. You're overwhelmed, you're kind of overwhelmed with this this I don't want to say the word sadness, but the the seriousness of his sacrifice. You know, because I think a lot of us take it so lightly, and because it's it's such a part of our culture, we don't really stop and contemplate what he really did on Good Friday. That's right.

Peter Dyga 9:55

You know, and we're just in generally not that way as a culture anymore. It's unfortunate. You know, I mean, uh we've talked in previous podcasts, and I think it's connected. You know, that we're a culture that's kind of gotten away from understanding sacrifice. Yeah. Uh no pun intended on Good Friday. But Good Friday. Yeah. Um in the same sense, we're a culture that's kind of got in the way of slow down. Um be in silence. Um the ways and you know, if you're a believer at all in scripture, either the old or new testament, you know, is it's full of like prophets and examples of people that in silence heard the voice of God.

Sonny Maken 10:31

Yeah.

Peter Dyga 10:31

You know, the the most clear. So anyway, there's there's a there's a place for silence. There's a place for silence in life, certainly in Christian life, but in life in general, that just we've gotten away from, right? Every every element people are uncomfortable by silence. Yeah. So that kind of speaks to how we've gotten away from it.

Sonny Maken 10:46

I have to I have to share the story with you. I was in a plane last year. In front of me was a girl, and she's holding her phone like this, right? And she's sitting in the seat in front of me, and she's kind of holding it so I can see what she's doing on the phone. And I had a movie on uh with subtitles because I didn't want to put anything in my ears. And I'm watching this lady on her phone, and she's watching um TikTok reels. And what are they like 30 seconds or less?

Peter Dyga 11:12

Doom scrolling, they call it, right? Just doom scrolling.

Sonny Maken 11:14

Right. And it was a flight to DC. So for two and a half hours, she scrolled and just looked at TikTok for two and a half hours. Unbelievable. Right? And what and I'm I'm sitting there and I'm thinking, what must this do to her attention span? Sure. Two and a half hours of TikTok. Like it was it blew my mind. And then even that, she wouldn't watch the whole reel. If the reel bore her, she would know within like three seconds she was bored. Just move to the next reel. Yeah, yeah. And to your point, like you're talking about silence. We have come like the pendulum has swung so far, especially with this, the the newer generations.

Peter Dyga 11:49

Even within Christianity, it's a little bit of a little bit of an ongoing whatever in within call Catholicism. It's like, you know, you could go to a certain mass and it's just like a chatter box. It's like people, you know, there's there's some of us on the other side that are like, you know, there should be a moment. Right. There should be some moment of silence. Yeah.

Sonny Maken 12:08

Like the ability to quiet your own heart and pay attention to why you're there. Exactly. Right. Exactly. So you know, even within Christianity, there's some of that. One of the things that I don't think most and I would love for you to talk about this. I think mo I don't think most people understand what the purpose of a worship service is.

Peter Dyga 12:24

Oh boy, we're really I mean, you know, you're pushing my buttons, so I love to talk about this stuff. So but anyway, back to my and sure, if we want to press that, I'm happy to do it. So and but again, I d I just want to stress um this a question in the gospel 2,000 years ago that still has to be answered by every person today. You have to answer it. And we all do in some way or another. And we either answer it that, you know, I don't know, that he was a you know a mythical figure, yeah, you know, or a figure in literature only. Um, which by the way is just so confounded by science and and uh you know uh science in the sense of uh any way we accept science at all today. You know, when you anyway, when you have some of the world's oldest literature and many, many versions and and manuscripts, you know, who attest to, and not just Christian, yeah, but others that attest to the existence of this person. Um it's it's it's quite unscientific to you remember how C.S.

Sonny Maken 13:22

Lewis answered that question?

Peter Dyga 13:24

So I might if you bring it back to my attention off the top of my head.

Sonny Maken 13:27

He said if you if you kinda look at what Jesus said about himself, you only have three options. Yes, I remember that. Remember that? The liar is either a liar, he's making it up. Lunatic. Lunatic. Or savior, right? Or Lord. Lord, yeah.

Peter Dyga 13:39

Liar, lunatic, or lord. Yeah. So that's right. You know, yeah. So but some people go even beyond that, I suppose, you know, and just deny we live life as if he just really just a he's just a literature, a figure in literature. So and it but again, they've answered the question, you know, who do people say that I am? Who am I? Yeah, that's a way of answering. You know, and they were answering about all the people, but then he said, But who do you say? Who do you say that I am? Yeah, that's a great point. You know, and the the disciples had to answer that question. And we all do too. So and for many of us, unfortunately, today, even though Western civilization was kind of built on Christianity and the values that came out of it, um, many of which people might even deny today, but the things that they cherish most basically are stem from Christianity. You know, absolutely. So um we all gotta answer it. And some people answer it with, you know, I don't know, he was an and other people might recognize, yeah, he was a you know, he was a historical figure or a good person, right?

Sonny Maken 14:33

But that's my favorite, like gentlemen.

Peter Dyga 14:38

Because if you answer he was God incarnate, yeah, which is what we as Christians believe, uh true Christians, um, it it has to change your perspective on the world and life. It has to be.

Sonny Maken 14:52

And it has to change how you live.

Peter Dyga 14:53

It has to.

Sonny Maken 14:54

Yeah.

Peter Dyga 14:54

Because if God became human and walked this earth, um it changes things. Yeah. So and it's uh even if it's just a remnant, it survives today, you know, with our our culture and uh our our holidays and uh you know the C and E Catholics or C and E Christians that you know might show up to church, which is uh again, I've been through every spectrum of my life. There was a period when I was mad at them by God there taking my seat and my parking spot, you know. But you know, I've come full circle. I'm like full circle now. I'm like, I'm glad they're there, and I'm hoping that at least throughout their life they keep coming at least for that day, you know. Yeah, enough and hopefully it grows to something more than that at some point in their life. But you know, and that's uh by the way, I think what St. Paul taught, and I think it's what the church has taught throughout time, which is why we've taken a lot of cultural, even pagan practices and tried to adopt them within Christianity, because we're trying to be, as St. Paul was, seeker sensitive. Well, Paul said, you know, I'm uh if when he was the Acropolis when he gave his speech, I forget the exact words he said. Like a good Catholic, I I forget the exact words, but I got the concept of the idea. So, you know, about he would try to be all things to everyone so that at least someone might be saved. Someone would be able to say that I'm paraphrasing his. Well, you know, to me, that's uh where I've landed, you know, in terms of the people that might break out the Easter basket in the bunny, or they might be just CNE Christians or whatever. It's like they they're just this glimmer. We're just hoping that a seed gets planted the seed grows, you know, a little more than it has, you know.

Sonny Maken 16:28

So I find uh I find the I had a pastor, actually I read this say and that I think it's appropriate for Good Friday, you know. Because a lot of people are like, well, if I'm a good person, I'm gonna get it to heaven, right? And this pastor said, and I can't wish I could remember the pastor's name, but he basically and it's a well-known pastor from from California. He said, uh, if God didn't spare his own son, what makes you so special? You know? And it was such an interesting sort of perspective that there is a price to pay, right? And if you look at it historically, every culture in history has understood that sacrifice is needed, right? Every culture, like way before Christ uh Jesus' time, way before even Abraham's time. Sacrifice was necessary for what? To appease appease some higher power. Okay. Like there was every culture has always been aware there's a disconnect. Exactly.

Peter Dyga 17:26

So there's always been every culture. Sacrifice has always been um uh an element of worship.

Sonny Maken 17:32

Right. But why, right? Because every culture has always been aware there's a disconnect. Where they have even if they don't call him Yahweh or they don't call him God or whatever, they're aware that some something out there is has more power than I do, and they are there's a disconnect that I'm disconnected with that higher power. I think every culture has some remnant of that belief and how they functioned as a society. And I think obviously now where we are, there's just this delusion that there's no higher power. And and you know, if that's how you want to live, that's fine.

Peter Dyga 18:06

But yeah, I find, you know, I think the the holding on to the higher power is you know for a lot easier for a lot of people because it's almost part of our human DNA, and and regardless of what uh culture you come from or what religious background, there's there's a there's a commonality of that. So that's easier for people, you know. Um, but but answering the question who Jesus was, who do you say that I am, that's that's a totally different question. Absolutely, you know.

Sonny Maken 18:35

So I was in high school when my when my uh pastor would say you know, there's gonna come a time they're gonna mock you for being a Christian, and I was like, really? Like it seems such a ludicrous idea. In the 21st century. In the 21st century. And and it's here. I mean it's it's it's already here. I think the I mean the way our culture is. I think there's a famous bishop as well.

Peter Dyga 18:56

Is it uh from Chicago? Oh, Cardinal Bernadine said that or somebody said there'll be I'll or you know, I forget the exact saying, but it was a great quote.

Sonny Maken 19:04

Yeah. All right.

Peter Dyga 19:06

I'll die in my bed, but my predecessor will die in the public square or something. Joseph Bernadine said that.

Sonny Maken 19:11

I get I got to meet him like a few months before he died. He came to Georgetown. What a great guy. Um anyway, we're out of time. We are? We are.

Peter Dyga 19:22

Well, I don't know if you want to make a Good Friday is a uh a holiday for us at ABC. Uh it is for uh the because of the connection, our Jewish roots, if you will, as Christians, uh always uh kind of tied to Passover as well for our um for our Jewish brothers and sisters and obviously Easter. Uh it's a very solemn three days for us. It's beginning today, tomorrow, and Sunday. So we wish on you uh you know the most reflective take a moment in silence, if you will, and uh enjoy your good Friday and uh and see if you can answer that question. Yeah or ask it again you know with a little more profundity. Uh you know, who do you say that he is? So all right, and uh our our values uh certainly it's made a difference in terms of a lot of the values that uh well that we live by and uh depend on today. So um they can be lost. Uh yeah, so it's not a given for sure. So let's fight for our values too. Um we appreciate you honoring us uh with your time, uh especially on these episodes where you know maybe it's a little more heavy on our personal uh opinions are being expressed. Um uh but we really do uh appreciate you and we look forward to sharing with you another episode with you next Friday.

Sonny Maken 20:38

So for comments, send us an email at the obvious at abceflorida.com. Until then, ciao. Take care.