Jim Mahoney's Blog - Sacred to Etc.

The Passion Play - and the Role of Mary

I'm writing this at 1:30 a.m. New Jersey time, but 7:30 a.m. Bolzano, Italy time. Bolzano is a delightful small italian city. The high point in its grand history has been the visit of the pilgrims from Corpus Christi. We begin our trek down Italy towards Venice.

The beauty of the Dolomites in Italy. Note the reflection of the Albs in the lake. (taken with a Blackberry!)

 
 
  As the bus left Oberammergau, it was time to reflect on the extraordinary meanings of the Passion Play. One of the most poignant was the way in which Mary was depicted. The authors of the play went far beyond the words of the Scriptures and captured the pain of a mother whose son was being tortured and crucified. The words that came from Mary were words of pathos and suffering. Who could not identify with her pain? Who could not understand that just as Jesus identifies with us most in our suffering, so too his mother identifies with all parents who suffer when their children suffer. During the play itself, I was thinking about the different ways in which Mary is depicted especially in art. Michangelo's Pieta - where Mary received the lifeless body of her son from the cross. The triumphant paintings of Mary in glory as Queen of Heaven. Far too often, Mary is depicted as little more than a plaster statue - without the exuberant life and passion that must have filled the one who bore Christ into our world. The Passion Play captured her own passion as well.

Do you recall the rather unusual Mel Gibson production a few years ago called the Passion of the Christ? The more that I thought about that film, the more I believed that the only good thing about it was the portrayal of Mary. It butchered the Scriptures and used the writings of a mystic whose fanciful writings were her own thoughts and truly no one elses. It seemed to me that Gibson just had the view of a total sadist. While you can never fail to be moved by any portrayal of the crucifixion, nonetheless I found his movie garish and the sign of a very unusual faith. But he really had the Mother of God right on target. The pathos, the love, the determination, the tenderness, and the strength all came across. Her beauty was shown in her love.

I received the same impression from the Mary in the Passion Play at Oberammergau. She spoke directly to all those watching about everything that her son had done for them. She minced no words about questioning what had happened to goodness being honored. Her's was the cry, the anguish, the shout of a mother.

Onward.

  

 

The Passion Play Was Only Six Hours Long in German with a 3 Hour Intermission!

The title of this post makes it sound like I am complaining. I am not. I was privileged to be here in 2000. That was spiritually intense. This year, I found it even more so. In a compressed period of time, it had far more intensity than a weeklong retreat. On the outside, I'm rather stoic. On the inside, I'm a volcano. By the end of the Passion Play as it moved from the Death of Jesus into the Resurrection, I was just sobbing like a baby. Please do not tell anyone, especially those "not nice" people I mentioned in the prior blog.

Over the next few days, I'll share some things that really moved me and really got me thinking. Lately, I have felt somewhat bummed about the problems the Church is experiencing. We always need to return to our roots. We need to remember that only Jesus is divine. The rest of us are human. The rest of us are sinners. The more that we remember this, the happier we are in the Church. Sometimes, it is not easy.

With all due respect, I'm going to sleep. We leave Oberammergau in the morning heading for Bolzano by way of Innsbruck. Despite this hardship, I'll continuing reflecting on the Passion Play.

In case you did not know this, Neuschwanstein Castle in the vicinity of Oberammergau was the model for the Cindrella Castle at Disney Land. Now you can never say that you did not know this. (Walt Disney guides maintain that this castle was not the only inspiration for Cinderella's Castle. Who are you going to believe. Me or Mickey Mouse?)

Our Pilgrimage to Oberammergau

I must confess that the grieving time since my mother's death has left me without any type of inspiration whatsover. I put in the hours. Push myself. Work hard. Pray hard. But most things are an effort. For some reason, it takes a lot of effort to be customarily circumspect.

Most people are extraordinarily kind and sensitive. Only a couple of folks have not been. In ministry, I wear two hats. With my parish hat, all but two people have just been affirming and good. That is so wonderful. With my diocesan hat, most are wonderful and a few are beyond difficult.

Just about everyone in the parish is wonderful. There are only two that I wish would go follow the Lord somewhere else. To put things into perspective, that is pretty good. I must admit that there are a couple of folks that I deal with wearing my diocesan hat who are not. At the diocesan level, things are seldom simple or easy. People of good will can disagree.  We really dotry to do the right thing. But we still deal with some people who use these as their responses to wrenching situations that did not turn out the way that they wished:  "we'll hurt the diocese," or "we'll sue the diocese"  or the always appealing "we may have to go public." If this is how people act who want to help advance the work of the Church, please keep me away from them. Can you imagine if we ever used these statements or tactics against those people with whom we disagree? I pray that we never do it. It is always disconcerting to realize that some people are just not nice. I do let it bother me bigtime.

Common wisdom is that the grieving process takes a year. So I have a year not to be stoic. Despite that, I hope that I never sink to the level of truly a very few people. That would be simply wrong.   

I have been negligent in posting to this blog. Decided to use this pilgrimage as a way to get back into blogging. It is fun because it does make me stop and thing. This pilgrimage to Oberammergau was planned nearly two years ago. The tickets go quickly. It is the most sought-after religious event in the world.

The group is composed of Corpus Christi parishioners and people from a few other parishioners and some other folks from around the country who filled out the group. We arrived last night in the wonderful Bavarian village of Oberammergau.

Here is how the local citizens describe their town and their tradition:

"Gripped by war, poverty and plague, the villagers of Oberammergau, in Bavaria, southern Germany vowed to put on a 'passion play' every ten years…
That was back in 1633. They survived, and performed the first Oberammergau Passion Play in 1634. Ever since, their descendants have carried out that pledge.

For the past four centuries the tradition has continued, every ten years. Only villagers have been allowed to take part. And that is what will happen yet again in 2010, from 15th May until 3rd October.

They devote a year of their lives to re-enacting the life, death and resurrection of Christ.

All performers are laymen and pursue their usual careers as wood carvers, house wives and so forth...

In real life for instance Jesus is a psychologist and Mary Magdalene works as a flight attendant.

Like everyone else in the village, 'Jesus' and 'Mary' are ordinary people. By taking on these roles, they are fulfilling the promise to God made by their ancestors, celebrating their faith and sharing it with the world...

...as Oberammergauers have for some 375 years."

Even though we are in Bavaria, it is so nice that the mountain in the area is named Kofel, the celtic word of cone shaped mountain. A clear sign that the area was originally inhabited by the Celts.

This morning, the group went to Mass next door to the hostel (all right, a small wonderful hotel). The Mass was celebrated by a very nice Filipino priest. For me, it was such a different feeling. Have not been on that side of the altar in a few years. Actually got restless. I will confess that I also arrived late! Slept through every possible means of waking up. Did make it by the homily.

Now getting ready to walk down to the Passion Play. It is in two parts - the first part is at 2:30 for two and a half hours; the second part is at 8 p.m. for two hours. All in German. Thousands in the cast. Preparing for the Play  - at least for me - is about one major truth - --- We do not believe in an idea. We believe in a Person who suffered and died for us. That is not trite nor pietistic. That is primal reality. That is our God.

Now to the Play.