As previously mentioned, I do not attend a high church. So the events of Easter are a bit of a mystery to me.
I went to an Ash Wednesday service this year for the first time. I’ve been celebrating Lent since I was 12. I’ve attended a Tenebrae service and a sunrise service. I’ve participated in an Easter-weekend fast. But all of these things, when taken separately and out of their normal context as a part of church life, are merely events. Cool things to do and talk about for a bit with friends, before deciding what to do with my Sunday afternoon.
By not acknowledging the church calendar, I think I, and those around me, have shortchanged ourselves just a bit. We don’t take this season any more seriously than any other. We don’t spend the six weeks leading up to this one Sunday preparing heart, mind and body for the celebration that is to come. We don’t take this time to ponder just how much the cost to Jesus was. (Those should be activities that we take part in all the time, not just during Lent.) But I wonder if a period to specifically refocus on Jesus and spend six weeks—six weeks!—considering him would be good for all of us. I know it has been a blessing for me.
I think it is probably time for Christians of all types to stop trying to disassociate ourselves from what every other Christian group is doing, and start looking at what we could learn from one another. It may be that the church across the street has ideas that would only lead to growth in my love for Jesus.
1 comment:
much of what mike brought to attention from phil. in his class yesterday. . . i'll give you an amen and try to talk my family into celebrating lent next year :) since mike and i both grew up celebrating it, i wonder what his take will be. . . . thanks for the reminders!
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