Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4
The Southern Cross
April 5,1979
Come And Share!
Palm Sunday this year finds a fragile
peace proclaimed for the Holy Land. In
the midst of a world of fragile peace and
gnawing anxiety, Christians take time
out to celebrate the living memory of
the events that cause our salvation.
Beginning with Palm Sunday, we retrace
the steps of the Lord Jesus from His
entry into Jerusalem in meekness rather
than in might, through His Passover meal
with His disciples, His cruel death at the
hands of men all too like ourselves to the
stunning glory of His resurrection from
the dead to perfect life.
It is ironic that in our world of peace
that is at best fragile and of anxiety that
paralyzes us, Christians so often ignore
the great celebrations of true peace and
hope that the church offers during Holy
Week. All too often our churches are
only half-filled for the Holy Thursday,
Good Friday and Holy Saturday
celebrations that make present the saving
actions of the Lord. We seem to look for
peace and hope everywhere but where
they are, readily available for us, in the
solemn celebrations of the church.
This year, come. Come to the
life-giving celebrations of the Easter
Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good
Friday, and Holy Saturday. Come, hear
the word of life proclaimed and believe
it. Come and make the savior’s sacrifice
your own. Come and share in His body
and blood and be nourished in hope and
in God’s peace.
- DKC
Liturgy Corner
Rev. Douglas K. Clark
It always amazes me how few Christians
really understand that Easter is the most
important feast of the Church. Perhaps because
everyone at sometimes comes into contact with
the birth of a baby, Christmas is more
accessible to us than Easter; after all, we do not
usually experience people rising from the dead.
But that is the whole point: the resurrection of
Jesus of Nazareth is unique, it is the unheard of
triumph of the Son of God. It is the event that
saves us.
It also amazes me that even fewer Catholics
really understand that the Easter Vigil is the
principal Mass of Easter. Not only is it true that
“if you go to the Vigil Mass, you don’t have to
go again on Easter” and that we may receive
communion again on Easter if we do attend
another Mass in addition to the Vigil, but it is
also true that the Church PREFERS us to go to
the Vigil. In fact, the other Masses on Easter are
celebrated as extra Masses, to accomodate those
who cannot make it to the Vigil. Given the
possibility of attending the Vigil, we ought to
choose it. Why? Because Christ rose during the
night, or so the gospels suggest, the Church has
celebrated the main (and for a long time only)
Mass of Easter during the night. It is at that
Vigil Mass, alone, that the new fire is lit, the
Easter candle blessed with the ancient and
haunting EXSULTET (Easter proclamation),
the full prophecies of salvation are read and the
baptismal water is blessed (and baptisms are
performed, if possible) before the solemn
eucharist of Easter.
We need to recover the rabbis’ idea of the
four nights of salvation. The First was the night
of creation, when God called light out of
darkness. The second was the night of
Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac. The third was the
night of the Exodus from Egypt. And the
fourth was to be the night of the Messiah. Our
Jewish brethren still await this fourth night.
For us, the night of Christ’s resurrection is that
fourth and final night of salvation. We await no
other Messiah than Jesus.
The first three Old Testament readings are
those of the first three nights (creation,
Abraham,, Exodus). I hope that priests will
begin to realize that these three readings are the
most ancient ones assigned to the Vigil and are
very rich sources for the homily. Not only can
we stress the uniqueness of the fourth night,
but we can see how Christ fulfills the other
three: In Him, we are a new creation; His
sacrifice, far better than that of Isaac, replaces
all other sacrifice; His death and resurrection
are the true Exodus, the true “passing over” to
the Father’s Kingdom, which is now open to all
peoples.
I suppose that the Easter Vigil has caught on
so meagerly in some parts of the world
(including the South) because the rites are so
complex and the service is so long that many
“don’t get it.” Priests should note that there are
many options (e.g., as few as three Old
Testament readings need be read) and that,
furthermore, there is room for legitimate
variation in the rite (perhaps some
rearrangement to connect the readings with the
corresponding symbols, such as reading Genesis
1 as part of the lighting of the new fire - “let
there be light”). But it is important not to
sacrifice the beauty of the rite for the sake of
saving a few minutes. The Exsultet really
should be sung - it is as haunting as it is
ancient. But to keep the people involved, they
could be given a refrain (perhaps “The light of
Christ has come into the world”) to sing before
and after (and maybe once or twice in the
middle of) the chant. Communion under both
kinds has long been recommended (and
allowed) at the Vigil. With enough ministers, it
can be done without prolonging the ceremony.
The Vigil requires weeks of preparation to
turn out beautiful, engaging and not overly
long. The burden is on the parish liturgy teams
to put enough work into the planning and
execution of the Vigil so that it seems to be
what in fact it is -- the most important
celebration of the most important feast of the
Christian year. When we who are responsible
for the celebration have done our job, then,
God willing, our people will catch on and make
the Vigil their Easter Mass.
THE CHURCH:
REFLECTIONS
The Southern Cross
fUSPS 505 680)
Most Rev. Raymond W. Lessard. D.D.. President
Rev. Joseph Stranc
Director, Department of Communications
John E. Markwalter, Editor
Rev. Douglas K. Clark, Editorial Writer
Please send P.S. Form 3579 601 E.6th St., Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Send News Items to 601 E. 6th St.. Waynesboro. Ga. 30830
DEADLINE: All material for publication must be received by
MONDAY NOON for Thursday's paper.
Business Office 225 Abcrcom St., Savannah, Ga. 31401
Second Class Postage Paid at Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Published weekly except the second and last weeks
In June, July and August and the last week in December
At 601 E. Sixth St., Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Jews- Christians
Hold
Symposium
On Passion Plays
NC PHOTO
Scene from NBC-TV’S “Jesus of Nazareth airing Sunday, April 8.
Yes, I Was There
A Good Friday Meditation
BY MIKE FOLEY
(Foley is a member of Savannah’s Blessed
Sacrament Parish and a candidate for the Permanent
Deaconate in the Savannah Diocese).
As I read the scripture of the
crucifixion of our Lord Jesus, I thanked
God that I wasn’t there to have an active
part in it, but as I read the 15th Chapter
of Mark and began to meditate upon it, I
began to realize my full participation in
the crucifixion. For Jesus took my sins
also to the cross, so I too stood in the
crowd and yelled, "Crucify Him, Crucify
Him”, Yes — I was there — I was there.
Whenever I was rude, unkind or held
my fellow man in contempt, I also
mocked or spit upon Jesus, Yes, I was
there.
The times I listened to others who
wanted to do wrong and joined in with
them for pleasures of the flesh. I also
cried out, “Give us Barabbus”, Yes, I
was there.
Whenever I caused anyone suffering or
sorrow or did anything to hurt anyone, I
took my turn with the whip and helped
place the crown of thorns on Jesus’
head, Yes — I was there.
Whenever I shirked my responsibility
and let my fellow worker do my share, I
helped to make the cross of Jesus
heavier. Yes, I was there.
When I refused to help the poor, to
visit the sick, to comfort others, or to
share all of my worldly goods, I stood
along the way of the cross and did not
help Jesus. Yes, I was there.
When I put my personal pleasures and
desires before the things of God, I
helped drive the nails into the hands and
feet of Jesus. Yes, I was there.
The many hours I worked to obtain
the goods of ’this world with little
thought of God and not seeking His
Holiness, I helped raise the cross. Yes, I
was there.
The times I bragged and held in pride
of what and who I am, forgetting that all
things come from God, I also laughed
and called to Jesus to save Himself. Yes,
I was there.
The many Sundays I missed Church or
the days I went to Church thinking my
own thoughts and not remembering the
sacrifice of Jesus for the Glory of God, I
also cast lots for His garments. Yes, I was
there.
I praise and thank the Lord our God
that as I ask for forgiveness and came to
the cross, even though I have done all of
these things to His only begotten Son
Jesus, because of His great love and
mercy, He welcomes me as a prodigal
son, invites me into the Kingdom and
places the ring of salvation on my finger,
and clothes me with the cloak of
righteousness and the sandals of peace
on my feet, He then leads me to the
banquet table of His Son, to feast and
dance, giving me all the things that I
refused to share with Jesus, I again praise
and thank you, Father, for your great
love and mercy, that you forgive us and
invite us to come as sons.
(The following excerpts are from an article on
controversies surrounding the annual Oberammagau
Passion Play submitted to the SOUTHERN CROSS by
William A. Gralnick of the Atlanta office of the
American Jewish Committee.)
Since the Holocaust, relations between Jews
and Germans have been stand-offish at best. A
group of American Jews and German Catholics
are working hard on a project which may be a
long step forward in post war German Jewish
relations. They are working on changing the
text of the world famous, and notoriously
anti-semetic Oberammagau passion play.
The Roman Catholic Church of Bavaria has
brought together for an AJC delegation key
church officials, academics, educators, media
specialists, and a group from Oberammagau.
AJC proposed that the time was past due for a
serious, systematic examination by German
scholars and church leaders of the Catholic
church’s present understanding of Jews and
Judaism, and the ways in which passion plays
advance that understanding or contradict it.
This idea was ultimately carried out under the
direction of Professor Franz Henrich, director
of the prestigious Bavarian Catholic Academy,
at the Academy itself. ,
It was a fascinating encounter, entitled “The
Passion of Jesus As A Spiritual Drama.” Over
400 people attended. They represented four
nations’ worth of high level scholars,
theologians, educators, government officials,
and the media. Each received the comparative
study, a synopsis of why AJC felt the play was
anti-semetic, and a basic document on judaism
that was prepared by AJC and published by the
Vatican in seven languages in 1975.
Rather than the details of what was
presented, the spirit can be summed up by this
quote from the proceedings: “In depicting the
passion of Jesus, the Jews must now be
portrayed with more honesty, with greater
respect for their religious traditions, and with
greater recognition of their rich traditions of
scholarship ... the Catholic Church has taken
heed of the decisions of the Vatican Council II
in revising its Christian education, teachings and
liturgy. There is a whole assortment of passion
plays throughout the world, at the head of
which is the Oberammagau passion play, which
have acted as though relations between
Christians and Jdws have not changed. After
Auschwitz, it is a scandal to continue in that
manner.”
The reader can get the feel for the great
strides that have been taken as well as the great
barriers that had to be overcome by realizing
that Father Daisenberger in his written
instructions to the director of the first
production of his play in 1860 said: “Instruct
the actors playing the Jewish parts to do so in a
manner that is filled with hatred and vileness.
Those who play Christian parts should do so
with love and merciful qualities.”
The spirit of the symposium spread to the
village itself, the Jewish delegation was invited
to lecture on “the history of anti-semitism and
Jewish/Christian relations today.” There were
film strips and discussions as well. For many of
the villagers it was their first exposure to the
history of anti-semitism in the Christian west,
the Holocaust as viewed through Jewish
prospectus, and to some basic knowledge about
Jews, Judaism and Israel. The reception was
warm and appreciative. The contact will be
continued next year when AJC, by request, will
originate a week-long seminar of lectures by
Jewish scholars.
Propagation of the Faith
REV. JOSEPH C. OTTERBEIN
Diocesan Director
P. O. Box 8789, Savannah, Ga. 31412
If ever there is a week when we can be
assured that God loves us, it is the week we call
HOLY.
“See from His head, His hands and feet
what grief and love flow mingling down;
Did e’er such Love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?”
We are assured of His love for one reason:
the crucifix tells the total committment of
Christ to His Father as well as to US. Over and
over Christ insisted that He was “sent” by His
Father so that all who would believe in Him
might have eternal life. Not to condemn the
world did the Father send the Son, but that the
world might be saved thru Him. Christ would
manifest the love of the Father to all persons;
He would unite the Father to every individual.
And this Christ would do only because He was
always for “The Other”. Totally forgetful of
self, His was concern for those who walked in
*
darkeness searching for light and for the bruised
and battered person by the wayside.
Since God’s sole desire is to save us, nothing
pleased Him more than our return to Him with
repentant hearts. The Good Samaritan revied
the man who had fallen among the brigands and
was left half dead from wounds. That same
Good Samaritan poured oil and wine into the
wounds, bandaged them, placed the man on his
own mule and brought him to an inn where he
left sufficient money to have him cared for,
promising to repay any further expense on his
return.
What gratitude our hearts should know this
week in the reflection that the Good Shepherd
brought us to life thru Baptism and Eucharist.
In that same gratitude we might think not
merely on Good Friday when we pray for those
in darkness who know not Christ, but many
times this week beg the Lord to bring His light
f
to the millions on the continents who sit in
darkness.
You and I might help fulfill our missionary
role “towards others” if our prayer would be
two-pronged these days: “Hear our prayers for
your people, Lord; dispel the dark and cold of
hearts thru Christ - your Light and Love; and
create a clean heart in me O God; renew in us a
steadfast spirit.”
Christ has touched our hearts with His love.
Are we ready to reach out to others in prayer
and sacrifice; are we ready to be “for others” as
HE was. “Were all the realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small; Love so
amazing, so divine. Demands my soul, my life,
my all.” (Div. Office)
Pray for those who sit in darkness and for
missionaries!
0
4
i
4
i
i
4
«
<
«
«
!
t
1