Yesterday was one of those days when I lament being in a heritage that has little understanding of "holy time" or the liturgical calendar. Yesterday was Palm/Passion Sunday. I loved being at Highland on Palm Sunday. All of the little children were given palm branches which they would wave as we would sing songs about the kingship of Jesus. None of that at LOCC. (In liturgical traditions, the palm branches are traditionally dried and burned to be used as ashes for Ash Wednesday the following year!) There was almost no mention of the crucifixion, save the traditional comments around the Lord's Table. (Don't read me wrong, Kevin's thoughts around the table yesterday were GREAT!)
I actually wonder if anything Easter-y will come up next Sunday. I hope that we sing songs of resurrection, that Garth's message is about the power of resurrection and new creation, that the thoughts around the table go back to Jesus eating with the disciples after God raises him from the dead. But, at this point I hold out little hope for that.
So, I am trying to start shaping at least a few people to understand the importance of "holy time." I have asked those who will to join me in breaking from our normal routine and in reading the special readings for Holy Week. We will journey with Jesus through the final week of his life, from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday, to Good Friday, to Holy Saturday (a day of "holy" wholly silence), to Easter Sunday.
May we all be transformed on our journey with Jesus through this final week....
4 comments:
The readings are just the traditional readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. You can find them here: http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BHolyWeek/index.htm
Or you can find them on the side bar reading schedule from the LOCC blog at lakeorioncoc.blogspot.com. (You can click on the Scripture reference and the NRSV text will pop up in a new window.
Go Dores!
It's really all about Vandy these days! I use their lectionary page a lot. It is a great resource!
Aagh, now I remember why you were so inspirational to me back at ACU. I always love hearing about your deep appreciation for ancient Christianity and specifically, the ways in which you seek God's voice through various followers of Christ throughout history.
This past weekend marked a busy weekend for us, but it was the first time I was a part of a faith community (I guess we had a little to do in shaping this...) participated fully in the Stations of the Cross leading up to Easter Sunday. We have been working with Emmaus Community Church in collaboration with local Salem artists in participating together to join Jesus in his journey to the cross. Didn't realize how much it would shape my joy and experience of Jesus' resurrection on Easter Sunday.
We pray for and with you guys often.
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