It’s April! Preparation for and participation in Holy Week, emptied March and me.
The weeks of Lent created a longing for Easter Joy. Preparing for and participating in three Holy Week services left me feeling spent and in need of a small resurrection. Mine.
Because Maggie and Kate were being baptized, Luke and Lily flew from California and other family and friends came to share in this special time. Usually the grandchildren wouldn’t have attended all three services but they wanted to huddle together and be supportive of each other and their Momo who was preaching. By the time Easter Sunday rolled around, I was shouting, HALLELUJAH, mostly out of relief, and the children were sleeping out of exhaustion.
At the Good Friday Service, three members of the choir in long blue robes chanted the gospel story found in John 18 and 19. Their somber tone matched the text. About half way into it Kate whispered, “who are those SAD people and why are the men wearing long blue DRESSES?”
One woman turned around to shush Kate and I thought, “Jesus said to His disciples,’Let the children come.’ ” Kids wiggle, whisper out loud and ask the questions we’re too timid or don’t care enough to ask.
The Grands and I continue to have heart to heart talks about Holy Week. They know there’s more to Easter than nibbling off the ears of chocolate bunnies or attending church. Rituals come down to matters of the heart. Why we do what we do and for whom.
My prayer for them, for me and all who seek is to know that Jesus lives and loves us and welcomes our questions, even, or maybe especially, the whispered ones during church.
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Thanks Jan,
I probably would be the “older” man with the stare, so I appreciate your soft words of conviction.
Blessings, Dale
So thankful your grands have you in their lives. So thankful for Easter, and so thankful “to know that Jesus lives and loves us and welcomes our questions, even, or maybe especially, the whispered ones during church.”!!!