As you might expect, this pastor's corner will contain reflections on my trip to the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. Yes, I know, September is when we start up our regular youth programs and such and I usually talk about that, but the Passion Play only happens every 10 years!
The whole experience was wonderful. I'm going to list many of my thoughts, but they are in no particular order.
First was the people. We had a very congenial and convivial group of 23. They were from Virginia and North Carolina. We had our quiet ones and our funny ones. We all seemed to get along together and did a great job of keeping an eye out to help where we could. We also got back to the bus on time every time - a miracle in itself!
Second was the scenery. Germany is beautifully green, with grand fields of all sorts of crops. I particularly liked the fields of sunflowers. Also in the farmland are those tall white windmills which are used to generate electricity. Austria is always awesome, with the Alps and all those glorious flowers, especially those in window boxes in Bavaria (which is both Germany and Austria). The CzechRepublic is also beautifully green and has some wonderful vistas to enjoy.
Third was the towns themselves. Berlin, Leipzig, Wittenburg, Dresden, Munich, Oberammergau, Innsbruck, Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague are fascinating places, each with its own charm. We were able to explore many of these cities in detail because we were given quite a lot of free time. For me, that meant shopping! I love to check out different places, whether its shops, museums, or restaurants. The food over there is just delightful!
Fourth was the museums. There were many, many options, like the PergamomMuseum in Berlin which houses the magnificent Ishtar Gate from Babylon in Nebuchadnezzar's time. The National Gallery in Dresden has many wonderful paintings including Raphael's Madonna, which is the painting that has two very famous angels in it. The LutherMuseum in Wittenburg does a great job of chronicling the life of Martin Luther and all the difficulties he lived with. The Museum in Oberammergau had some beautiful hand-carved nativities on display.
Fifth was the Cathedrals. We visited many, all of which were magnificent. I was glad to see that people still worship there and that they were not just "tourist attractions". We were in the primary cathedral where Bach composed many of his works. We visited other cathedrals which were architectural marvels, including one in Prague where King Wencleslaus is buried. Then there were the smaller, local churches, like one in Oberammergau where we heard the Mass given in English and they ended the service with "Here I Am, Lord".
Sixth was the Passion Play itself. I've seen it three times now (1980, 2000, and 2010) and am awed each time. The townspeople go all out to present a wonderful re-enactment of the events of Holy Week. I still am amazed how they are able to do it. Not only is the Play itself a marvel, but the music is just beautiful! The play began as a vow in the town in 1633 as a prayer and a promise to God if He would spare them from the Black Plague. There were no more deaths from plague in Oberammergau. The first play was in 1634, and has continued every ten years with few interruptions since. The 2010 production was the 41st Passion Play.
And there were so many more things - street musicians, performers on stilts, beautiful gardens, marvelous statues, cruises on the Danube and clocks in town squares which have been working for hundreds of years. It was also so much fun when we tried to communicate and neither of us knew the other person's language.
Each person in the group will bring back their own set of special memories. Each one of us will never be the same. You might check with Barbara Smith and Lana Lefferts to see what their special memories are. For me, it was another trip of a lifetime, a time to see how God has touched lives for centuries, to see that God is still touching lives today. God is touching your life today. Please always remember that.
