The Empty Tomb: Why I Love Happy Endings

Everyone loves a happy ending. Or, at least, I do.

And then there is that one author who decides he wants to be unique. No more of this sweet, happy stuff, he is going to write a tragedy. This author proceeds to systematically defame and kill every single character in his story that you liked. You come to the end of the book,  the death and destruction crescendo, and you are left feeling empty and cold inside. 

Even those stories where the hero dies a tragically beautiful hero's death leave you feeling like a part of your heart died in that last chapter.

Or, at least, my heart feels that way. 

We as humans have this fascination with pain, suffering, and death. Perhaps it is because we are drawn to these things, much like a child, out of a sense of horror.

Or perhaps it is because these three are products of the Fall and we, in our broken and sinful lives, see ourselves reflected in the pain, the suffering, and the death. They are near to us, for they surround us. We feel a kinship to them, even as we sense their utter wrongness.

Then one day we pick up a book and read the tale of a dashing young hero, who defeats all of his enemies (with some minor injuries to himself) and somehow miraculously survives through to the end of the story. Sometimes he even gets the girl. And our heart sings with this brave young man because, for one instant, everything was made right.
This is why I love happy endings - because there is redemption and renewal found in happy endings. The tragedy shows us all that the world is, while the happy ending shows us what the world could be.
A happy ending gives us a small taste of redemption, as we watch our hero rise from his low state of despair and defeat to stand victorious on the neck of his enemies.

Now do you see where I am going with this? Why I love happy endings so much?
The greatest Hero in history fell, defeated, at the feet of his enemies. Death seemed to swallow Him, and Satan and his followers rejoiced in what they thought was their day of victory.

And then the earth shook.

And the grave, so powerful, dark and hungry, couldn't hold Him. Satan fell, crushed beneath His heel. 

"He is not here, for he has risen."