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PAGE 5 — The Georgia Bulletin. April 16, 1987 Ivan J. Kauffman The Resurrection Is Real "It is our belief in the risen Christ which sustains us in con fronting the awesome challenge of the nuclear arms race. Present...with us today in his word, sacraments, and spirit, he is the reason for our hope and faith." -The Bishops Pastoral Letter "The Challenge of Peace" Is the resurrection something that actually happened? Looking back now I realize there was a time I didn't really think so. Although the story had meaning, even profound meaning, it wasn't an event in history—the way World War II was. It was really a fable like the Cinderella story, not something you'd read about in the newspaper. Obviously I don't feel that way anymore. It hasn't been easy, but somehow during the past few Lenten seasons the resurrection story has moved from myth to history for me, and it's changed the way I look at things, including politics. Let's face it, this is not an easy story to believe. It claims Jesus was executed on Friday in the most gruesome, violent way possible, that he was buried in a stone crypt, that a large stone was placed over the door, that soldiers were stationed to guard it—and that on Sunday morning Jesus, still bearing the wounds of his crucifixion, walked out of the crypt and resumed ordinary life: eating, walking, talking. Anyone who’s realistic, who knows what's going on, who knows what's possible and what’s impossible—anyone who lives in the real world—knows things like that just don't hap pen. But the people who wrote the Gospels say they did happen. They say the religious leaders who arranged to have Jesus ar rested were real people—like us. They say the political leaders who ordered him executed were real people—like us. They say the soldiers who nailed his hands and feet to the cross were real people—like us. They say the mob that screamed “Crucify him! Crucify him!" were real people—like us. For them this was current events. Jesus' death was real—but that's not the part of the story we have trouble believing. After all death by execution is something that happens every day. It's the resurrection part of the story we can't believe. But the people who were there say it actually happened too. They say it took place on a particular Sunday in Jerusalem, that they saw it with their own eyes, that they talk ed with Jesus afterward, that they went into the tomb and saw his burial shroud lying on the ground—and that they were as amazed by what they saw as we are. The only way the original Christians could deal with this ex perience was to replace their old view of reality with a new Mary Coyne Wessling Through Pain To Joy Ever since I was a child, I have drawn parallels between my life and the life cycles of the church. Even now in my adult life, Advent, Lent, Christmas and Easter would be little more than empty rituals were it not for my desire to allow these times to enter my life and make it stronger. Lent and Easter are my favorite church seasons. Looking back, the Lent and Easter of 1985 stand out as special. Irt 1985, my sacrifice began with the hard labor pains of birth. My first child, Timothy, came into this world on the first Sunday of Lent. The sacrifice of labor quickly was replaced with the celebration of life. It was an indescribable joy betwen mother and child, father and son, husband and wife. But my labor was not our last sacrifice that Lent. Harsher ones lay ahead for my husband and me. Ten days after Timothy was born, my husband was put on notice that his job would soon be terminated. When Terry told me, I felt as though someone had kicked the breath out of me.-As I held my newborn son in my arms, I wept. It was a sacrifice indeed, but not a welcome one. As the weeks went on, I prayed that God would send me a sacrifice that was less detrimental and costly. I told God that I was not the least bit interested in turning that pain into a growing experience. I had had all the new experiences I need ed at the moment, thank you. I continued to throw bargaining pleas at God througho . Lent. "I'm in no mood to show my humility and learn from this," I would tell him. "I am willing to give up several things but not the security of my husband's employment." God, I assumed at the time, was not listening. Then the situation worsened. My husband was demoted, took a cu* in pay and was sent on the road as a salesman. This mean! less time at home with us. I wo'ndered how I would get through this, let alone how I would be a nurturing mother and understanding wife. But, in the end, the joy and renewal of life matched all the suffering. No, superseded it! That joy shed its first light on Easter Sunday. It was, I remember, a perfect Easter filled with sun and flowers, warm air and friendly faces. Terry and I walked proudly to church that morning with our son nestled in my arms. It was Timothy's first official outing. Parishioners smiled at him and gave us proud nods of affirmation. Father John Dietzen The Virginity Of Mary Q. Some months ago I wrote to you enclosing a self- addressed stamped envelope concerning biblical references to other children of Mary and Joseph. I have not heard from you. Could you please comment on the view that Mary had other children? Or did she remain a virgin for the rest of her life? (California) A. As I mention in this column on occasion, because of the large volume of mail I receive it is normally impossible to re spond to questions through the mail. The question you ask is one I still receive regularly, about which there remains some confusion and misconception. While this question sometimes is considered a Catholic versus a Protestani subjeci. the fact is that students of the Bible, including today the vast maiority of Protestant scholars, agree that neither the books of the New Testament or other early Christian writings offer any substantial evidence that Mary had other children besides Jesus. The extreme care that the writers of the Gospels of Mat thew and Luke-take to insist that the conception of Jesus was accomplished by a special intervention of God is seen as the significant gospel bias in favor of the virginity of Mary after the birth of Je us, a bias which would be overcome only by strong evidence The text mosr c nmonlv brought forward to claim that Mary had other children is Matthew 12:47, which speaks of some disciples as "brothers" of Jesus. This apparent problem disappears when one realizes that the Jews of Jesus' time had one word that covered all kinds of kinships, from brother or sister to distant cousins. When this particular Aramaic word is used to designate the relationship of some individuals to Jesus, it requires quite a stretch of meaning to conclude that they are his brothers and sisters in our sense of those words. The perpetual virginity of Mary was commonly taught by the great teachers in the church from the very earliest decades after Christ. In this tradition, the church has long held that Mary was a virgin also after the birth of Christ and that she bore no other children after him. Q. Could you comment on the supposed apparitions of our Lady at Medjugorje in Yugoslavia? I am surprised there has not been more information in the Catholic press. Is it possi ble that the announcement of a second Marian year by the Holy Father was influenced by these messages? (New Jersey) A. Probably the reason you have, not read much about it is . that, up to now, there has been little meaningful that the Catholic press or anyone.else can say. Great amounts of excitement, publicity and enthusiasm Making Peace one. For them the resurrection meant there was nothing they could not do—and within 300 years Christianity had become the dominant religion in the Roman Empire. For us to believe the story we have to go through much the same process. Accepting the resurrection story as historical means giving up our favorite excuse for inaction—the belief that our problems are so big there’s nothing we can do about them. If the resurrection is an actual event it means the real prob lems of the real world do have solutions—even when we don't know what they are. It means that there are always, in addition to the possibilities we can realistically' see, other options which we can't see, waiting to happen. It means the. arms race, abortion, homeless people, the economy, diesease, are all problems that can be solved—if we'll open ourselves to the spiritual resources which are available to us. Believing the resurrection is real means there is hope—real hope. Even those who find the leap of faith which this story requires too much, at least for now, often attend church on Easter Sunday. Perhaps it's because deep down' we all want the story to be true—and somewhere in the deepest recesses of our being we all know that it is. Easter Those simple signs of support meant the world to me. I suddenly felt like things would work out. I felt loved and hap py and most of all, joyful! It was, I reflected that day in church, like the joy that came n those who discovered that their Lord had risen from the dead. A joy that is not easily put into words. A joy that swells one s heart, dampens one s eyes and brings to mind a sudden revelation that all the pain that came before had a purpose and rightful place in one s life. It was a joy that softened my heart and allowed me to pray on that bright Easter morning in thanks to God for all his blessings and love. It was appropriate too that we were able to symbolize our thanks by bringing our son into the church through baptism the Saturday after Easter. As I looked at the faces of friends and family gathered in the church the day of the baptism, I saw so clearly how life for my husband, son and me already was richer. A little embarrassed, I admitted to God that, like it or not, my sacrifices were indeed a growing experience. And then I thanked him for the joy I felt. (Copyright (c) 1987 by NC News Service) Question Corner generally accompany such occurrences, whether or not they eventually turn out to be genuine. Officially, the church is studying the events to determine as much as possible their authenticity. The bishop of the diocese involved, the cardinal president of the Yugoslav bishops' conference and the Vatican Con gregation for the Doctrine of the Faith have said that church officials and organizations should offer no official pilgrimages to the site of the alleged apparitions. There seem to be'vrertain good things happening but also serious difficulties which prompt considerable caution about the supernatural nature of what is going on there. The "exploration" under way by church officials should help answer that question. There is no evidence that the Holy Father's announcement of a Marian year was influenced by events at Medjugorje. A free brochure expaining Catholic regulations on member ship in the Masons and other organizations is available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Father John Dietzen, Holy Trinity Parish, 704 N. Main St., Bloomington, III. 61701. Questions for this column should be sent to Father Dietzen at the same address. (Copyright (c) 1987 by NC News Service)
