We Are People of he Resurrection
“If Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead, then nothing else matters. And if Jesus Christ died and did not rise, then nothing else matters.”
So wrote Jaroslav Pelikan, and his application of logic to the life of Jesus has profound implications for the direction of our lives. Believe in him or not, Jesus was one of the central figures of human history. But for Christians Jesus is more than an historical figure. He is in fact the central figure of our lives.
I fist met Professor Pelikan when I was in college, and he was already an eminent historian at Yale. The occasion was an appearance he made alongside Cardinal Leo Suenens of Belgium, and together they made for a striking duo in the gothic sanctuary of Riverside Church in New York. In his red robes Suenens contrasted sharply with virtually everybody else; but it was Pelikan who dazzled me. During the exchange that followed their talks, someone posed a question to Pelikan. Without a moment’s hesitation Pelikan referenced a Czech theologian, whom he quoted at length, without notes, in Czech. Then and there I decided that someday I would study with that man.
Years later Pelikan was the main reader for my dissertation and, true to his sense of the dramatic moment, he announced at a dinner in the Great Hall at Saint John’s that he had signed off on my work two days earlier. It was an energizing moment for me, as you can imagine. But that gesture underscored for me how important people can be in our lives. Be they teachers, parents or friends, we do not walk this earth alone. Such people are gifts from God to us.
I’ve often mulled over Pelikan’s words on the resurrection, not just for what they say about Jesus, but for what they say about us. If Jesus did die and rise for us, then each one of us has intrinsic value. As sons and daughters of God, each one of us matters, and each of us is a gift sent to our brothers and sisters to accomplish something important.
So the upshot of all this should be life-changing. If Jesus Christ did die and rise from the dead, then nothing else matters. That means that God loves each of us and to each of our brothers and sisters you and I are a gift. It’s an extraordinary vocation that the Lord has given us, and nothing else matters.
+Not surprisingly, I did not leave the abbey grounds last week. However, I am learning once again to appreciate the value of Benedictine stability and claustral life in the monastery, though the first couple of weeks away from the airports did not come easily. Now I’m getting used to it and have enjoyed the chance to go for long walks on the abbey grounds.
+On April 8th my dear friend Fra Carl Noelke passed away suddenly, though not unexpectedly. Fra Carl was a Knight of Justice, that is, a member in the Order of Malta who had professed religious vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. To look at Fra Carl’s face was to get a glimpse of the beatific vision, and he was a joy to be with. He was widely respected within the Order, and all who knew him will miss him dearly.
On April 11th I led the Office of the Dead for Fra Carl, which we conducted via Zoom. Ca. 60 of us joined together, and participants included members of the Order in Rome, Paris and London, across the United States, and in New Zealand. Given my total lack of technical expertise, we were fortunate to have someone other than me to manage the entire exercise. Following the service individuals were able to offer their personal tributes in memory of Fra Carl. All in all it was a remarkable experience. Fra Carl practiced law in San Francisco and was a member of the Bohemian Club, to which he contributed his deep booming voice. He will be buried in his hometown of LaCrosse, WI.
+One of the surprises of the Triduum was the installation of an icon painted by our confrere, Fr. Nathanael Hauser. At 7×12 feet it is certainly large, and it almost did not fit through the door of his studio. It sits above the Abbot’s throne and dominates the space. The last two photos in today’s post show an icon by Aidan Hart, commissioned for Saint John’s Abbey. Aidan did significant work in The Saint John’s Bible.