Kresta in the Afternoon

The Resurrection is the single greatest event in human history. Without it, Christianity loses all meaning. Even among skeptics and those who reject Christianity, there are elements of Jesus’ life and Resurrection that are beyond dispute. We’ll talk about it with Justin Bass.

Christians have historically understood that Jesus rose to life in His crucified body, citing his encounter with Thomas. But some scholars now argue that Christ’s Resurrected body was a “spiritual” body “purged of every element of flesh and blood.” How can we square that with reports of Jesus eating with His disciples and inviting them to tough his wounds? We examine it with Dr. James Ware.

The Gospel of John briefly recounts St. Thomas’ encounter with the Resurrected Lord, who insisted that Thomas put his fingers into His wounds – wounds that apparently did not heal, despite His Resurrection. How can these wounds help us connect more to Christ? We talk with Dr. Jonathan Heaps.

Do you remember people talking about the “Three Rs” of education – reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmetic? They’re the most basic building blocks of education and lay the foundation for everything that follows. What if we apply that principle to the greatest event in human history? We explore the Three Rs of the Resurrection with Carl Olson.

Christ has completed the mission He came to Earth to do – he has been crucified for our transgressions and lies in the tomb. As we await the joy of Easter, Al shares some thoughts on the meaning of this day.

On Holy Thursday we commemorate the first Mass, recognizing Jesus as our Great High Priest. But did Jesus intend for the priesthood to continue, or was it merely a feature of the Old Covenant? John Bergsma joins us with a look at the roots of the priesthood.

Last week the Secretary General of the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops laid out his vision for the Church: “I always imagine the Church as a rainbow, with the colors that are not excluded but, together, create harmony. A harmony that, of course, would be missing where there was a conflict.” Matthew Bunson has more.

In a piece for Foreign Policy last year, Lucas Webber observed that with the US out of Afghanistan, “the local branch of the Islamic State has turned its sights on a new enemy: Russia.” And last week ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack at a Moscow concert venue that left nearly 140 people dead. Lucas joins us.

Today is the anniversary of Mother Angelica’s death on Easter Sunday, 2016. Dave Vacheresse worked with her for years, and he shares how she took him on a journey from fear to faith with a life of grace and mercy.

Muslims around the world have been observing Ramadan, just as Christians have been observing Lent. Zubair Simonson participated in Ramadan fasts and feasts with his family for years, but it wasn’t until he became Catholic that he really began to understand the purpose of fasting. He joins us.