In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalen discovers the empty tomb and runs to tell the disciples. Peter and another disciple then run back to the tomb with her and examine the evidence, before going back to where they were staying.

Mary, however, stays near the tomb, lingers in the presence of mystery. As John tells it, it is only then that the angels appear. Only as Mary lingered near the tomb did the risen Christ appear and call her by name.

In this issue, Bill offers two reflections that, in different ways, linger near the resurrection. We pray that you might hear the voice of the Holy One through them.

As all of us in the United States know, April 15 is Tax Day. Except when it isn't, like this year. Because of the pandemic, the IRS has extended the deadline for filing 2020 individual income tax returns from April 15 to May 17. Except for those of us who live in Louisiana, Oklahoma, or Texas. For us, the deadline is June 15.

Confused yet? Recently the federal Centers for Disease Control issued guidelines suggesting that it was safe for individuals fully vaccinated against Covid-19 to travel by air. Shortly thereafter, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said she still would not recommend that those individuals travel. Everyone got that? Everything clear?

Yes, we live in confusing times. Of course, that might be said of most people, throughout most of human history. Think of what happened in Jerusalem some 2000 years ago. Jesus of Nazareth was executed by Roman soldiers, soldiers who knew what they were doing. There is no doubt Jesus was dead, then sealed in a tomb. Jesus was dead and buried. About that, you could be certain, dead certain.

But then, the tomb was empty. Then there were reports of Jesus appearing to those who knew him. Then the disciples, who once cowered in fear, began to preach boldly that Jesus had been raised from the dead. Confusing? Absolutely!

Jesus’ resurrection challenges so many our certainties about what is, and is not, possible. I share the sentiments of poet Mary Oliver, in her poem, "Mysteries, Yes":

"Let me keep my distance, always, from those

   who think they have the answers.

Let me keep company always with those who say

   'Look!' and laugh in astonishment,

   and bow their heads."

This Easter season, prepare to be surprised. After all, God promises to make all things new. Even you.

In 1989, as I prepared to return to the United States after three years in Germany, Hans Küng dropped by my office in Tübingen to bid me farewell.

Küng, who died two days after Easter, at the age of 93, was one of the most significant – and controversial – theologians of my lifetime. He tackled big issues in big books, with titles such as The Church, On Being a Christian, and Does God Exist?

Küng will be remembered for many things. He was brilliant and charming, extremely hard working (he wrote 50 books) and supremely self-confident (some critics would say arrogant). Küng was a theological adviser to the Second Vatican Council while still in his early 30s, and is credited with significant influence in shaping the documents of the Council. Later, Pope John Paul II would revoke Küng’s standing as a teacher of Catholic theology, in response to Küng’s persistent questioning of the authority of the Roman Catholic magisterium.

Küng continued to teach and write; working for reconciliation among the world’s religions was one of his lasting concerns. Years before 9/11, I heard Küng sound the refrain he never stopped sounding: “There will be no peace in the world without peace among the world’s religions.”

Yes, Hans Küng will be remembered for many things. But I will remember him most for his thoughtfulness, dropping by my office with a small farewell gift. I was surprised, because I did not know Küng well. We saw each other every month or so, but usually in seminars or at lectures. In fact, I remember only one private conversation with him other than that brief farewell.

In that other conversation I asked Küng about his standing in the Roman Catholic church. I knew some people believed that when Küng’s teaching authority had been revoked that he had also been defrocked as a priest. When I asked about that, I could see in his eyes the pain that the question caused him. He answered that he remained a Catholic priest in good standing and intended to remain one until the day he died. And so he did.

In a remembrance of Küng published by a major German news magazine, the author concluded by quoting the words of Paul from First Corinthians, “Now we see through a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face,” before adding, “Hans Küng will now have the answers to all his questions.”

Hans Küng, I now bid you farewell. Thank you for your kindness – and for asking so many important questions.

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