Otjiwa Passion Play 2017
celebrate
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As Christians we celebrate the HOLY WEEK
and HOLY means: fascinosum + tremendum + numinosum together as one!
A) We celebrate Jesus (Palm-Sunday) as the one, who has the courage to enter
the City of Jerusalem - the Centre of the jewish Empire (Religion + State) -
to discover as an Insider the Reality (what happen really).
He enter not as an Imperator but like a shepherd.
B) We celebrate Jesus (Thursday) as the one, who has brought into this world
a new understanding and lifestyle for the human person. He proclaims: I am
"bread + wine" for you, for the life of the world. I am given over into your hands.
This proclamation is the highest level of human view and the deepest reality
for joy and holy life.
C) We celebrate Jesus (Holy Friday) as the one, who give his total engagement for
his conviction. The Cross is the temporal price for his proclamation. The religious
Empire cannot accept his definition of a human Person. The Empire is exploitation
of many in favour of a few and not a Service for all.
D) We celebrate Jesus (Easter) as the one, who shows that his lifestyle is resurrection
(not to stay in death but rise to life). Resurrection is a surprise because we cannot do it...
it's the Mystery of God who calls into the fullness of life.
As we celebrate... we know celebrating is empowering us to live what we celebrate.
Therefore I wish to all of you an encouraging celebration
(may nobody be excluded thereof... it would be a shame!)
The Church is called
to celebrate
the entrance of Jesus
on the 25 of March: into the Womb of Mary; id est: into the Womb of the Earth.
on the 25 of December: into the Village of Bethlehem / Nazareth; into the Jewish People.
on the Baptism in the Jordan: into his own personal Task, into his Messianic Activities.
on the Passion-Sunday: into the City of Jerusalem to accomplish his Pascal Mystery
id est: into the last engagement on the Cross; into the celestial Jerusalem:
"Hosanna to God in the Highest".
on Easter: into the Resurrection; into a new Style of Life;
on Ascension: into Heaven; into the Fullness of Life;
on Pentecost: into the Heart of the Chosen-One's.
The Church is a Community called to celebrate !
May I remind You:
1. The Baptised People are the Church.
2. They have decided to follow Jesus Christ:
a) to "enter" like Jesus; (id est: they have the courage to enter with open eyes!)
b) to experience like Jesus life as a Cross-Way
c) to enjoy like Jesus life as a Resurrection-Way
3. As more as we embody Jesus for our time, as more we enter, experience,
enjoy life like Jesus
4. Together as Church we live the life of Jesus and we celebrate his and our lives as a Unity.
The Church is a Community called to live (in the steps of Jesus) OR: we renounce to enter... to experience... to enjoy...
and we refuse to celebrate...
I encourage: take the Chance...
Where is the New Covenant ?
The Risen-One ? The Stranger ?
We in Otjiwarongo have a good situation:
We got rain, we have a lot of good people,
a good part are Christians... life is improving...
pupils got an "Independence-Break" and we all
have a good Outlook on "Easter-Break"!
The WISH of the Stranger (John 12.20 "Sir, we would like to see Jesus...")
will be fulfilled and the people will see Jesus as the RISEN-ONE.
The problem: The RISEN-ONE is hidden in the LIVING-ONES.
The CHRISTIANS know: Jesus became for all - who obey HIM - the
Source of Eternal Life (Hebr 5.7-9)
The problem: They should obey Jesus (and not the imperial forces!).
The World knows (the Church will proclaim it): The NEW COVENANT with the
House of Israel says: (Jeremiah 31.31 is convinced: It is God who speaks):
1. Deep within the people I will plant my law, writing it on their hearts.
2. I will be their God - they shall be my people.
3. They will all know me (the least no less than the greatest)
4. I will forgive their iniquity + never call their sin to mind.
The problem: The House of Israel and the Christian Churches should accept:
Following Jesus and Paulus etc...
The NEW COVENANT is intended for the whole World;
for everybody...
You see: we have a GOOD SITUATION...
The Cath. Church-Life offers you
for this Sunday (11.03.2018)
a fourth step
in your Lenten - Exercise.
First, You have to remember: there was already in the past a terrible time,
priests and people have shown infidelity, defiling the Temple (as it was before Noah
and somehow today) / 2 Chronicles 36.14-23.
Sec, know: God sent a lot of prophets... but in vain... and today ...
Third, look: The Temple burned down, Jerusalem demolished... people deported...
extinction of a culture... downfall...
Fourth, pay attention: The King Cyrus has the imagination "God has given me all the kingdoms and the Temple" ... what a fright:! Cyrus is celebrated a a Saviour !
After such a shaking shock - as Christians we hear Paulus (Eph 2.4-10): No King,
No Temple... Jesus - by his -Grace - is Saviour! But... pay attention: There is some-
thing more behind: Jesus saved us because "We are God's work of art".
John let us know how Jesus explains to Nicodemus the mystery (3.14-21):
In every terrible time God sent - by Love - "Jesus-like-prophets as Saviour".
Did you discover the Lenten-Step you are asked for?
In your situation (terrible or not, in decay or not) God's work of art / YOU ! has to be
re-clarified, re-cleaned to the real brilliance.
Mrs. D. Day was convinced: "The world will be saved by beauty".
The 3. Lent-Sun B
a wake-up-call
to recognise
our situation.
God has Good News for us: "I have liberated you, guided you through the desert's difficulties, given you the new land... (Ex 20.1-17)
and now there are rules, norms, orders to survive:
1. I'm the one and only God (the time of monotheism is now rising): no bow down, no service to your own gods anymore. Therefore: Don't make images (imaginations) of
God anymore, not at all, in no way; take the reality as you perceive it... but nothing (in heaven, on earth, in the water) is like God - nothing.
2. God has a name. But don't utter this name - keep his name holy.
3. The Sunday (today) is for God: God blessed this day and made it sacred; you keep it
holy, no work anymore - rest.
There are many more rules... to survive... you must discover them...
Great Q: Who believes God has already liberated ???
On this way into the future we have to discover our situation:
John 2.13-15 shows us:
The Temple (the sanctuary), where the liberation, the guidance, the new heaven and earth
are celebrated, where the new norms are kept, the new rules are performed
is now the body of Christ.
Let's exercise it as an Ash-Cross-Person; as a Stardust-Composition.
Exercise the trust: God has liberated his people...
