[Salvation]

March 22, 2007

Passion Plays

From early times, Mystery Plays or Miracle Plays re-enacted scriptural events (and events in a saint’s life) as a way of teaching the truths of the faith. Some of these were elaborate productions, requiring three days’ performance.

The form best known today is the Passion Play which depicts the death and resurrection of Jesus. The most famous is performed at Oberammergau, a Bavarian village about 60 miles southwest of Munich.

Because of an outbreak of the bubonic plague in the 17th century, the people of Oberammergau prayed to be spared and vowed that the whole community would every ten years, stage a massive production that would present the story of Christ’s death and resurrection to the world. The town was spared from the plague, and the tradition of the Oberammergau Passion Play was born. It first performance was in 1634,

The play is performed on an open stage with seating for nearly 5,000 spectators. Members of the huge cast (there are 1,700 parts) must be Oberammergau natives, or have lived there for ten years.

The play lasts a whole day, with a three-hour break for lunch. The play is performed five times a week, running for several months. The most recent production took place May 22 to October 8, 2000.

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Josef Meier first performed the Passion Play in the United States in 1932. In 1939, his company settled in South Dakota’s Black Hills where the play is performed each summer.

[Salvation]

Thursday – Fourth Week of Lent

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed. (Mt. 27:11-14)

Pilate asks, “Are you the king of the Jews?” The last time we heard this phrase was when the Magi arrived in Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” Then Herod tried unsuccessfully to hill him. Now Pilate will try unsuccessfully not to kill him.

Jesus responds, “You say so.” His answer is affirmative, but he does not take responsibility for everything Pilate has in mind. For Jesus, “king” has religious connotations – “Messiah.” For Pilate it is political.

The chief priests bring accusations against Jesus. Recall that in the previous scene they heard Judas confess that he had betrayed innocent blood – which makes their accusations all the more hypocritical.

Then Jesus is silent. In Matthew, except for his cry to God on the cross, the last words Jesus speaks before he dies are: “You say so.”

Sometimes we think that before we die we’ll straighten out every misunderstanding about us. As though that mattered. What really matters is the truth about ourselves that each of us will see after we die. All will be clear. And that’s all that really matters.

Spend some quiet time with the Lord.