Years ago, I heard a story about something that happened in the former Soviet Union. It was in a small town. When the Soviets took over, they did their best to stamp out the Christian religion, as totalitarian regimes always do. But in this one town, there was an elderly priest who was much loved. Instead of arresting and persecuting him, they decided the best way was to just “starve him out.” They figured that, as he was so old, he couldn’t live much longer anyway. Of course,they made it known to the people that to attend the church services was frowned upon, and most stopped going out of fear. But some few secretly supported the old priest, sneaked and brought him food, or money…
Years went by. The mayor, who was a rabid atheist, often mocked the old priest as he saw him walking down the streets of the town. “Give up, old man, the people don’t believe in your foolish myths anymore, they are enlightened.Give up!” The priest ignored him, and continued to conduct services in the old church building, even when nobody came…..even when the roof developed holes, and the rain and snow came in….even when the windows were broken and the vines climbed in,and often the only ones who attended the services were the mice who rustled through the church and gnawed on the covers of the hymn books, and the birds who nested in the ceiling beams.
Still, the old priest kept on…. He grew thin and frail and old and bent, and could only walk with a cane, limping painfully…..but still he kept on…
This enraged the atheist mayor. Finally, he decided on a way to humiliate the old priest. He would gather the whole town together in the city auditorium for a “debate.” He would have scientists and professors to denounce the Christian faith as mythology. He would demand that everyone attend to witness the old man’s humiliation, and he sent armed guards street to street to make sure everyone attended. He decided to hold the debate on Easter Sunday as an added humiliation.
The whole town gathered. The mayor made a long and angry speech, then introduced a number of state “experts,” scientists and professors, who all denounced Christianity as a “myth.” It went on for hours, and the old priest sat there in a chair on the stage, unmoving, unspeaking.
Finally, the mayor spoke again. He raved on at great length about how modern and enlightened society didn’t need antiquated superstitions and myths. How the people had progressed far beyond that. Then he turned to the old priest. “You might as well just give up, old man, we don’t need or want you or your foolish superstitions anymore!”
The old priest, with the aide of his cane, struggled to his feet. He limped over to the podium and grasped it, holding on to it to steady himself and pull himself up to his full height. He looked out over the crowd, the armed guards, the children……and he spoke.
“He is risen!”
And every voice in the hall, even the guards, replied:
“He is risen, indeed, Alleluia!”
The old priest turned and nodded to the mayor who stood there dumbfounded, and walked out of the hall.
No matter the power of the forces of darkness and evil, no matter how much mankind claims to have “progressed,” the human heart still yearns for the Saviour who gave His life to redeem us. They thought they’d extinguished the Light when they hung Him up on a tree, then sealed him in a tomb. But even death could not vanquish Him. That Light remains as a Beacon of Hope and Salvation, and will until He calls us Home.
He is risen!
He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
John Field Pankow
April 11, 2020