It hasn't felt like Easter is coming. As with Christmas, I'm noticing that the decorations and commercialization I abhor so much in the States I find myself missing here. The pastel overload and the bunnies everywhere remind me that it's coming. Until folks at the co-op started talking about Easter last week, I'd almost forgotten to wonder when it was. Didn't expect that.
So I've been feeling a little sad these past few days, thinking of all the Easter traditions I'd be missing out on this year. But this morning the kids were dying eggs, there's an easter egg hunt planned for Sunday morning, and we'll be celebrating the day with our teammates and church. I'm starting to feel the anticipation that I often experience as I look forward to Easter.
And tonight, sharing Good Friday with the family, I find myself feeling more deeply than usual the immensity of Jesus' sacrifice. After dinner, we gathered together in the main room with some glasses of grape juice and tortillas (they're unleavened!) and passed them around, eating, drinking, and remembering together the sacrifice that Jesus made for us as Mike read from the passage of the last supper. It was the most intimate communion I've taken part in.
Then we watched The Passion of the Christ, which I haven't seen since it first came out, and I saw some of what he endured. For me. For us. His suffering was great. And he did it to bring us back to our Father. Can we even begin to imagine or understand the depth of his love?!
Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends. ~ John 15:13
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ~ John 3:17
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ~ John 14:6
One of my friends said that he tries to make the days before Easter a time of mourning, tries to put himself in the shoes of the disciples who did not know that Jesus would rise on the third day. I've been trying to do that myself. But I keep wavering between sadness and peace because I know that Sunday is coming.
So I've been feeling a little sad these past few days, thinking of all the Easter traditions I'd be missing out on this year. But this morning the kids were dying eggs, there's an easter egg hunt planned for Sunday morning, and we'll be celebrating the day with our teammates and church. I'm starting to feel the anticipation that I often experience as I look forward to Easter.
And tonight, sharing Good Friday with the family, I find myself feeling more deeply than usual the immensity of Jesus' sacrifice. After dinner, we gathered together in the main room with some glasses of grape juice and tortillas (they're unleavened!) and passed them around, eating, drinking, and remembering together the sacrifice that Jesus made for us as Mike read from the passage of the last supper. It was the most intimate communion I've taken part in.
Then we watched The Passion of the Christ, which I haven't seen since it first came out, and I saw some of what he endured. For me. For us. His suffering was great. And he did it to bring us back to our Father. Can we even begin to imagine or understand the depth of his love?!
Greater love has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends. ~ John 15:13
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ~ John 3:17
I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ~ John 14:6
One of my friends said that he tries to make the days before Easter a time of mourning, tries to put himself in the shoes of the disciples who did not know that Jesus would rise on the third day. I've been trying to do that myself. But I keep wavering between sadness and peace because I know that Sunday is coming.
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2 comments:
Beautiful. It feels so hurried and messy here. Everyone is stressed out for the holiday (which is to be a holy day, but is holy in name only). Here it feels like obligation day. Everyone has to follow certain rules or they are not good Catholics. I am going to Wroclaw in an hour to celebrate the life of our Lord with the JV team. I hope it feels more like Easter with them.
*sigh*
I like this entry :)
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