THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

Edgar Varèse/Johannes Bugenhagen/Robert Walser

A LOCAL THEATER
2014/2019
Near the center of the church, close to and in front of the altar, is the stage.

The stage is made of wooden palettes.

There are two or three chairs on stage.

A group of people, six to eight in number, take their places on the stage.

Some sit and some stand.

They are dressed in clothes that are unique and colorful to each individual.

One member of this group carries a flute.

This person steps forward on the stage towards the audience.

The flute player waits, letting silence take hold of the space.

When the flute player believes the silence is at its maximum, the player begins.
The flute player stops playing and lets the silence take hold of the space.

The player steps away from the front of the stage and finds a place among the group.

A moment or two passes.

Someone begins to speak.

Chorus

The resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ as it is described to us by the four Evangelists.

Evangelist

When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary who was called the
mother of James, and Salome and Joanna and others with them, who had come with Jesus
from Galilee, bought and prepared sweet spices that they might come and anoint Jesus, and
rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment. Now on the night of the Sabbath
very early in the morning of the first day of the week, when it was still dark, they came upon
the sepulcher at the rising of the sun, bearing the sweet spices that they had prepared. And
behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and
came and rolled back the stone from the door of sepulcher, and sat upon it, and his
countenance was like lightening and his raiment white as snow. But for fear of him the
keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
But the women said among themselves:

The Three Women or Marys

Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?

Evangelist

For it was very great. And they looked within and saw that the stone had been rolled away
from the sepulcher. And they entered into the sepulcher and found not the body of the Lord
Jesus. Then Mary Magdalene ran from there to tell of what happened, and as the women
were much perplexed, that the body of Jesus was not there, behold, two men stepped before
them in shining garments, and they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth.
Then they said unto them:

The Two Men in the Sepulcher

Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen! Remember how he spake
to you when he was still in Galilee, saying: the Son of man must be delivered into the hands
of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again!
Evangelist

And they remembered his words and went from the sepulcher and told all these things unto
the eleven and to all the rest, and told it to the Apostles and their words seemed to them as
idle tales, and they believed them not.
But then runneth Mary Magdalene, as it was said, and came to Simon Peter, and to the other
disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them:

Mary Magdalene

They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid
him.

Evangelist

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher; so the two
disciples ran both together, and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the
sepulcher. Looking in he seeth the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon
Peter following him and went into sepulcher, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin
that was about the head of Jesus, not lying with the linen clothes but wrapped together in a
place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and
saw and believed it. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the
dead. Then the disciples departed together. And Peter was wondering in himself as that
which was come to pass.

But Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping. As she weepeth thus she looketh into the
sepulcher, and seeth two angels in white garments sitting, the one at the head, and the other
at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain,
And they said to her:

The Two Angels

Woman, why weepest thou?

Evangelist

She saith unto them:

Mary Magdalene

They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

Evangelist

And as she saith this, she turned herself back, and seeth Jesus standing and knew not that it
was Jesus.
Jesus saith unto her:

Jesus

Woman, why weepest thou, whom seekest thou?

Evangelist

She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him:

Mary Magdalene

Sir, if you have borne him hence, tell where thou hast laid him, and I will fetch him.

Evangelist

Jesus saith unto her:

Jesus

Mary!

Evangelist

She turned herself and saith unto him:

Mary Magdalene

Rabboni!

Evangelist

Which is to say: Master! Jesus saith unto her:

Jesus

Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brethren, and say unto
them: I ascend unto my Father, and to your Father, to my God and to your God!

Evangelist

This is the Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus cast seven devils, to whom the first
appeared, when he was risen early on the first day of the week. And she went and told them
that had been with him, that mourned and wept, that she had seen the Lord, and what he
had said to her. And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her,
believed her not.

But the women entered into the sepulcher, and saw a young man sitting on the right side,
clothed in a long white garment, and they were affrighted.
It was the angel of the Lord, and he spake unto them:

The Young Man in the Sepulcher

Fear not ye! I know that ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified. He is not here, he is
arisen, as he said. Come here and see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly. And tell
his disciples and Peter, that he is risen from the dead, and behold, he will go before you in
Galilee, there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. Lo, I have old you!

Evangelist

And they departed quickly from the sepulcher, with fear and great joy, and did run to bring
his disciples word. For they trembled and were amazed. Neither said they any thing to any
man, for they were afraid.

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying:

Jesus

All hail!

Evangelist

And they came and held him by the feet and fell before him. Then said Jesus unto them:

Jesus

Be not afraid: go tell my brethren, that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

Evangelist

Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city and shewed unto
the chief priests all the things that were done. And they assembled with the elders and took
consul and gave large money unto the soldiers, saying:

The Chief Priests

Say ye, his disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept, and if this should
come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

Evangelist

So they took the money, and did as they were taught. And this saying is commonly reported
by the Jews until this day.

And behold, two of them went that same day to a village which was from Jerusalem
threescore furlongs, which is called Emmaus. And they talked together of all these things
which had happened. As they communed together and reasoned, Jesus drew near to them
and went with them. But their eyes were holden, that they should not know him.

Then he appeared to them in a different form. And he said unto them:

Jesus

What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk and are
sad?

Evangelist

And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him:

Cleopas

Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass
therein these days?

Evangelist

And he said unto him:

Jesus

What things?

Evangelist

And they said unto him:

Cleopas and his companion

Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word, and how the
chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
But we hoped he should redeem Israel, and beside all this, to day is the third day since these
things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which
were early at the sepulcher; they found not his body, and came saying they had seen a vision
of angels, which said that he was alive! And certain of them which were with us went to the
sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said, but they saw him not.

Evangelist

Then he said unto them:

Jesus

O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to
have suffered these things, and enter into his glory?

Evangelist

And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures
the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went, and he
made as though he would have gone further, but they constrained him saying:

Cleopas and his companion

Abide with us, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.

Evangelist

And he went in to tarry with them, and it came to pass as he sat at meat with them; he took
the bread and gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and
they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight, and they said to one another:

Cleopas and his companion

Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to
us the scriptures?
Evangelist

And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered
together, and there was talk among them.

Chorus

The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared Simon!

Evangelist

And they told them what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in
breaking the bread. But they believed them not.

It was the evening of the same day when the door was shut and the disciples were gathered
together for fear of the Jews. As they were speaking of him, Jesus himself came as they
were sitting at the table, and stood in their midst, and saith unto them:

Jesus

Peace be unto you!

Evangelist

And he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not
them which had seen him after he was risen.

But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed they had seen a spirit, and he said unto
them:

Jesus

Why are ye troubled, and why do such thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and
feet! It is I myself. Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me
have.
Evangelist

And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and feet and his side.

Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. And while they yet believed not for
joy, and wondered, he said unto them:

Jesus

Have ye here any meat?

Evangelist

And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of an honeycomb, and he took it, and did eat
before them. And he said unto them:

Jesus

These are the words which I spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, for all things must be
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, in the prophets and in the psalms
concerning me!

Evangelist

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said
unto them:

Jesus

Thus it is written, and this it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third
day, and that repentance, and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all
nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witness of these things!

Evangelist

Then said Jesus to them again:

Jesus

Peace be unto you! As my Father hath sent me, even so I send you.

Evangelist

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith onto them:

Jesus

Receive ye the Holy Ghost! Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and
whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained!

Final Chorus

Thanks be to God, which has given us the victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord! Victory!
When the group is finished speaking, silence takes hold of the room.

A moment or two passes.

There is someone who has been sitting quietly the entire time the group has been speaking.

This person begins to speak.

Although all these may be only woolly and unkempt figments, wildly
entangled fantasies, configurations of the night, and although I have
perhaps, or rather probably, never seen this man, this Jesus, with
these eyes of mine, have never even caught a glimpse of him, I would
nonetheless almost like to believe that I did see him once, and I would
prefer not to doubt that he appeared to me in the snow one day, late
of a winter evening, after darkness had begun falling. Right there, in a
neighborhood on the outskirts, where wide ghostly pale fields reach
up to the last few isolated houses, where wilderness grazes
habitation, stroking it gently as it were, it was there he encountered
me, there that he came towards me, slowly, with long and hushed
steps, ever monstrous and incomprehensible. He resembled one from
the dead, one who had just climbed out of the tomb, one who had
arisen awesomely all of a sudden, and that he must have done, since
Jesus, the noble and great friend of mankind, ought after all be long
dead, long buried, long since alive no more. But there he was, alive in
the ghostly radiance of the extremely cold evening, wondrously large
and beautiful. Oh, it would be a shame if these were only imaginings,
nothing but raptures! One so wants, so truly wants to believe in
certain things; one forces oneself to, and cannot help but do so. The
large and piercingly brilliant stars of the winter skies and the chill
cutting through my thin clothes, as I stood there, were truly
wonderful. I was shivering in my thin suit, that I remember very
clearly, but a good unending hot joy trembled through me, making me
live as I had never lived before, nor ever again would. It is spirit that
gives us life, and he, whom I saw striding to and fro in the twilight,
was a spirit, surely he was, after all, mainly or merely a spirit, nothing
but feeling and spirit. A spirit was shuddering and glowing through
me, and everything around me began to sing, talk, and resound. It
was the stillness and love that were resounding; and, being most
acutely conscious of this, I was pleased. There was an inexpressible
joyousness, hope, belief, and love within me, and the mysterious one,
standing there, hair falling in delightful golden snakes and waves from
head to shoulders, was a sight that made me stare. The beautiful
blonde hair was like consuming fire inflaming him, and what's more his
expression, no, I must confess, that nowhere else in life have I again
seen anything so frightfully beautiful. Such things one sees but once
in life and then, never again, even if one were to live to be a thousand
years.

It is remarkable, by the way, that it occurred to me the very instant I

spotted the strange figure that it was Jesus I am seeing right there in
front of me. Since then, I have often thought a lot, especially about
this, but have never gotten any wiser. To understand something fully
can, at times, mean to lose everything again. Uncertainty is often
most beautiful, and majestic configurations do not want to nor ought
they be entirely seen through and recognized. It is possible to destroy
rather than assimilate one's object of enquiry through penetrating
research, immersing it, or so I imagine, in night and invisibility, in sum,
I wish to call myself happy whenever I store up an intuition for myself,
and have no wish to desire to know anymore. So Jesus was not dead:
That was the splendid thought, and I clung to it. Love stood there
right before me in the snow, beckoning with wondrous tenderness,
the heavenly shy eyes glowing with a terrible brilliance. I threw my
whole beige into the apparition. Wild noises of drinking drifted across
from an inn nearby; this has remained as unforgettable to me as the
grace and supernatural gentleness of the divine appearance. I asked
myself what Jesus was up to, out here at the farthest reaches of the
city, whether there was really anything for him to do in the world, and
which way he would most likely think of making his presence felt.
Strange thoughts ran through my head. Then I went to the house, up
into my room, lit the lamp, sat down at the table, took the pen, and
carefully noted on a piece of paper the face and all thoughts related
to it. When I was finished, I went to the window, opened it, it was late
already, and looked out into the night, onto which a half-moon was
looking down from its heights, and then I saw the stranger still
standing in the road. I would have liked to call out something, but I
couldn't find an appropriate word, and my voice seemed cut off from
me. I closed the window and got into bed. The following morning,
when I went downstairs, it seemed to me that I could see traces of
the stranger's feet in the snow. He himself was gone.

R.W
(1916)
translated by Mark Harman
When this person finishes speaking, silence takes hold of the room.

The group leaves the stage.

This ends the performance.