Mysterium Paschale: The Mystery of Easter is a book by Hans Urs von Balthasar

Hans Urs von Balthasar

Hans Urs von Balthasar was a Swiss theologian and priest who was nominated to be a cardinal of the Catholic Church...

 that offers an account of the death and resurrection of Christ, and their significance for the Christian life. Von Balthasar discusses the "bodiliness" of the Resurrection from the "radical" death of Jesus, involving his descent into the place of the dead on Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday , sometimes known as Easter Eve or Black Saturday, is the day after Good Friday. It is the day before Easter and the last day of Holy Week in which Christians prepare for Easter...

. Because of his assuming the nature and the consequence of sin, Balthasar extrapolates that God can endure and conquer godlessness, abandonment, and death.

Content

The book is divided in 5 chapters dealing with Jesus' incarnation as being directed to his giving up his life and being handed over to his enemy. Jesus' passion, His physical death on the cross, His spiritual death reaching out till Holy Saturday and his going to the Father on Easter are described.