Could we start again please?

Mood: Reflective
What I'm Listening To: Jesus Christ Superstar - Soundtrack

This morning I revived an annual personal tradition relating to the time before and during Holy Week. As my own special way to reflect on the meaning of this time and Christ's profound sacrifice for all of us, I watch or listen to Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Jesus Christ Superstar. This year I don't have the video handy but I'm listening to the soundtrack on my commute.

Despite the elements of fiction and creative license, this account of the Passion of Christ has enormous meaning for me. It started many years ago in high school. My favorite teacher throughout my high school years was Father Richard Wolf, S.J. (Society of Jesus - the Jesuits). Father Wolf, who's nickname was Father Fox for reasons that were never really clear to me, was one of the religious ed. teachers at Bishop Connolly High School during my days there. However, he had a sort of tradition of his own. Every year during Holy Week, he would put away the text books and lecture notes for all of his classes, and sign out a cart from the A.V. department. For four days in a row, the 40 minute period in his classroom was devoted to listening to the soundtrack of Jesus Christ Superstar, off a well-worn LP, through a cheap old phonograph with ratty speakers. This was just a little bit too early for VHS copies of older movies to be readily available, so we had to settle for the vinyl. Fr. Wolf would prep us with a discussion of the characters from the musical and they way they were portrayed (as opposed to the biblical presentation), and we also had handouts: a hand-written libretto of the musical copied over in the distinctive blue print of an old-fashioned mimeograph machine.

Why is this musical so powerful for me? It's the character studies, not just Jesus, but also Judas, Mary Magdeline and Pilate who are fleshed out in a fascinating fashion. Whether or not the interpretations of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber really jive with the Gospel truth, it is a captivating story. And in fact, I don't think they really stray too far from the things I believe when they represent Jesus. The humanity of Christ is exposed by the story, and it is real and personal. I am especially moved by Christ's 'righteous anger' when he destroys the money changers' tables at the Temple, and His despair when realizing the destiny the Father has laid out for Him. I could go on for pages describing what the musical means to me, but it seems my words right now are not really up to the task. I'll just say that listening to the soundtrack each year at this time is as meaningful to me as attending Holy Week services.

Unfortunately, two of the numbers from the movie version are missing from the soundtrack: "Then We Are Decided" and the title of my entry, "Could We Start Again Please?".

Father Wolf died of complications from cancer just a few years after I left high school. So, when I return to the musical year after year, I think of this as a remembrance of him as well.