triduum

an old friend from the past recently told me of some creative things they were trying in his congregation (of which i once was part, long ago) to try to make Good Friday meaningful.

i was tempted to say, "oh give it up, and discover the incredible power in the ancient and classic liturgies!" fortunately, i resisted.

after going through Maundy Thursday, the Way of the Cross, and the Solemn Liturgy of Good Friday, i was exhausted. i really didn't want to get up and go the Holy Saturday service this morning. and part of me secretly wishes that Jesus had waited a few more days to rise again, as myself, by soul and body, isn't quite sure it's up to the Great Vigil tonight.

and then it struck me -- "duh... how appropriate."

if these liturgies were really about thrilling us, about inspiring us, then certainly, we should do much less, and come to fewer services but experience more pizazz. but what if the point were not to thrill and inspire us? what if the point were to help us seriously try to walk with and connect with Jesus through HIS experience rather than ours?

beginning with the Last Supper, he moved, relentlessly, exhaustingly, from encounter to enounter until He cried out "It is finished." there was no inspiration, no glory. only relentless confrontation, exhaustion, horror, and pain. perhaps the closest i will ever get to understanding something of what He experienced, short of the cat'o'nine tails, the fists, the chains, the nails, and the suffocation, will be to press on, relentlessly, from encounter to encounter.

i wonder if that would catch on in american churches: less pizazz / more pain?

probably not.

the Lord be with you.