Magyar Egyház, 1994 (73. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1994 / 4. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 21. oldal impatient innkeeper, the kind servant directing them to the stable with only a few animals in it. At least they were protected from the cold. How Joseph ingenuously converted the manger into a perfect little crib for the newborn baby. And how beautiful the Baby was! Mary continued her story. “Don’t think we didn’t have I well-wishers, too. The shepherds we met in the field on our way to Bethlehem. They came early in the morning. As they entered the stable they just stood there, gaping at the baby. I heard them speaking to each other in excited tones: ! ‘Look, the child... it is lying in a manger... wrapped in swaddling clothes...’ Joseph asked them what they were talking about. They told the most incredible story. That they saw a miracle in the fields: the heavens opened and first they heard a voice, ‘Do not be afraid; I have good news for you... Today a savior is born to you...’ Then dazzling light blinded their eyes but they could still hear some heavenly song: ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and on earth his peace...’ “I could hardly take it. But you see, there was my vision of the angel, before. And what I almost forgot to tell you: the angel was speaking to Joseph, too; told him about the coming of the child and that we should name him Jesus-Emmanuel, God with us. “So the shepherds saw a miracle. I saw, too. Joseph saw a miracle, too. And the greatest miracle was that I had a son. The little Jesus—of course we called him Jesus right away as the angel told us to do. “And you said, John Mark, that there is nothing special about the birth of a child?” John Mark cast down his eyes and just muttered: “I’m sorry, Mother Mary. I didn’t mean it that way...” “Of course, you didn’t, John Mark. That’s all right. But wait, that wasn’t all. We made ourselves at home in the stable. We got some fresh hay from the kindhearted servant and later he made fire in the corner. You see, the stable was hewn in a rock, so there was no danger of burning it down. After a few days we got new visitors. It really was like a dream. The innkeeper ran into the stable, out of breath. ‘Come quickly, move over to my inn. You shall have my best room. Hurry!’ Joseph asked him: ‘Well, what is it? ’ You should have seen Joseph; he was wonderful; calm... ‘We don’t need your fine room; we couldn’t pay for it anyway.’ ‘No, no, you don’t have to pay; you will be my guests, my very dear, special guests...’ He couldn’t finish for a tall man entered in the stable, pushing him aside. In a deep voice he asked: ‘Where is the newborn King?’ So this was why the innkeeper has become so friendly, suddenly... “Then others came into the stable. They were three kings from the Orient. Imagine, they came more than a thousand miles, just to see the baby; my baby...” And so Mary went on and on. About the gifts the three kings brought, about the star over the stable. How, after a week, they took the frankincense to the Temple together with the baby; Jesus was the firstborn son and had to be presented in the Temple by law. Then, how Joseph was warned by this angel of the Lord again, to take the child to Egypt from the hatred of jealous King Herod. How wonderful the royal gift of gold was; it lasted well until they got back to Nazareth. “So this is the story how my Jesus was born,” Mary concluded. All were still; awe and joy in their eyes. No, the book could not be written without it; they all knew it. Luke broke the silence: “And what happened to the third gift? To the flask of myth? That was a precious gift; indeed. Did you ever use it?” Luke was practical, he wanted the true story, the whole story. “The myrrh,” Mary asked. “Yes, the myrrh.“ Her voice became quivering. “I kept the flask, Luke. I don’t know why, I just kept it. And on that terrible day, after the crucifixion, I gave it Salome to use it to anoint his broken body...” Mary’s voice broke down, her body stiffened; the memory of her son’s death overtook her. All were silent. It was Luke again who regained his voice. “Mary, please don’t cry. You know Salome never used that myrrh. There was no need for it. The Lord rose. Your son rose; he is risen!” Mary’s stiffened body suddenly relaxed. “Of course, Luke. You are right. I mustn’t cry. No reason to cry. He is alive forever.” Holy smile shone around her lips. She began to sing, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior...” And the men answered: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth his peace...” Andrew Harsanyi TOWARD OUR CHURCH UNION—A PROPOSAL HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA—CALVIN SYNOD, U.C.C. Several attempts have been made to unite the members of the American Hungarian Reformed Churches affiliated with The Hungarian Reformed Church in America and the Calvin Synod, U.C.C. inviting other Churches in America of Hungarian Reformed background. The purpose of this union would have been to unite our forces and help each other; and further to help our brothers and sisters all over the world. The bishops of the two major American Hungarian Reformed ecclesiastical bodies commissioned by their respective leadership have resumed this endeavor. Their proposal drafted in February /Bishop Francis Vitéz/ and May /Bishop Andrew Harsanyi/ of 1994 are almost identical. Here is Bishop Harsanyi’s version. A new plan of union could be based on the following:
