Calvin Synod Herald, 2005 (106. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-03-01 / 3-4. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 3 To the Family of The Rt. Rev. Dr. Francis Vitéz: Calvin Synod joins you in mourning the loss of this very special gift of God whom He has again called to be in His eternal presence. Bishop Vitéz’s innumerable gifts of his love for Christ and His Church, his love for his own church the Calvin Synod, his love and devotion to the Calvin Synod Herald have all been mainstays for more than a generation of the Hungarian Reformed community. His years of Service and Leadership as Bishop and Editor will not be forgotten. His wit and humor were delightful and rare in our community. His dedication to two congregations enabled their members to continue in the traditions and faith of their forefathers. His love for his heritage, for the Hungarian language, enriched our culture here in America both inside our trans local Church and in the greater Hungarian community. His love for the “mother church” in Hungary continued to return us to the ideals of our ancestors, as he recognized in them the hard-won faith which we inherited. Calvin Synod extends its sympathy in this difficult time of loss. We are comforted by the words of John, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more...” May you be comforted knowing that the soul of the one you love is now in the presence of God. Calvin Synod Conference Easter Greetings! The greatest celebration of Christianity lies before us - the celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus on Easter morning. This is an event that shook the world, an event that changed the course of history for ever. The soldiers who were present at the foot of the Cross that fateful Passover knew that they had witnessed something special, someone special, and exclaimed “Truly, this was the Son of God.” The women who dared to watch his body being taken down from the cross and laid to rest, and prepared to participate in the anointing of His body, did so with sadness. The disciples knew that they would never again be in the presence of Jesus, their confidant and leader, and had watched the death and burial of Jesus from afar. The next morning the women went to the tomb to anoint his body, and found the tomb empty, and were told by angels that Jesus had risen, he was not with the dead, but with the living. Understandably filled with fear at this turn of events, they ran to tell the disciples what they had seen and what they had been told. The Scriptures tell us that several of the disciples rushed to the tomb to see for themselves. But things were in confusion for them all: reports of the empty tomb, of angels, even of having met Jesus. Uncertainty reigned amongst the disciples, amongst Jesus’ friends and followers. However, Luke tells us of something tremendous that happened the very next day. As two of the disciples were dejectedly walking to Emmaus, a stranger appeared to them and began walking with them, asking them what they were talking about, and why their hearts were so heavy. When they told this stranger about the terrible things which had been done to their friend Jesus, and how he had been killed, he began talking to them, reminding them that all the things which had happened had indeed been foretold by Jesus himself. They became caught up in his conversation, and as they stopped for the evening they invited this stranger to eat supper with them. Luke tells us that “When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized him...” They had been walking and talking with Jesus all along, not recognizing Him though they had spent the past three years with Him. But when he took the bread and broke it, they immediately remembered that fateful “Last Supper” they had shared with him just a few days previous. So often we are unaware of Christ’s presence in our lives. He indeed walks with us, he talks with us, and in our blindness we do not notice Him, we do not recognize His presence. This Easter Sunday we will be invited to the most elegant meal of our lives, the invitation coming from our Lord Jesus Christ himself. The Table will be set as it has been for almost two-thousand years, prepared for us at the beckoning of Christ. Our Christian ancestors found the presence of Christ on these occasions; our Reformed forefathers renewed their faith and found the strength to serve him through this great gift He has given us. For it is here, at the Lord’s Table prepared with Holy Communion, that we receive His personal invitation to recognize him as our Lord, to “sup with Him.” May this Easter be the day when you meet Christ at the breaking of the bread, and may you always recognize His presence in your life from that day forward. Rt. Rev. Koloman Karl Ludwig, Bishop
