Dear Brothers and Sisters,
So we have now arrived at the threshold of Holy Week. In ancient Celtic mythology, it was believed that the “in-between” times and “in-between” places were the most powerful. So there are reports of things being done “neither at day nor at night” and “neither on land nor on sea”.
That’s very much what Palm Sunday is like! We start out almost feeling like we’ve left the somberness of Lent behind as we cheer and sing and parade proudly behind King Jesus, waving our palms (and some of us having mock sword fights). We enter the church to the great triumphal hymn “All Glory, Laud and Honor….to thee, Redeemer King!” Even the church itself is arrayed in the bright, rich color of red. Last time we saw that was at Pentecost. Hurray! A day of celebration! Christ rules!
But it’s not long until we come to the reading of the great Passion Gospel. Heaviness descends. Wait. What is happening? This isn’t the celebration we thought we were preparing for! It’s not the joyous, fiery red of the Spirit surrounding us, it’s the deep, unexpected red of blood.
And so we find ourselves, neither in Lent nor in Pentecost. We find ourselves in Holy Week. That feeling of disorientation and discomfort must surely be what the followers of Jesus felt so many centuries ago. We now join them and relive it.
Every year, it occurs to me to avoid going to church during this time. I don’t want to hear about the terrors that the One I love went through. But I won’t abandon him now, just in a race to get to Easter. The only way I can bear it is the sure knowledge that Easter also looms on the horizon. We are never entirely in the place of dark when there is that hint of Resurrection light—even if we’re not there yet. Hmm. Kind of like life itself.
Mo. Laura+
March 7-April 11, Mondays, 7:00-8:00 p.m. “Writing to God” (zoom)
March 10-April 14, Thursdays, 12:00-1:00 p.m. “Living the Way of Love” (zoom)
April 3, 8, 9, 10, “Annie” at Neshaminy Valley Theater, Neshaminy High School (Fundraiser for Trinity Bethlehem’s Soup Kitchen) Check with Fr. Dick Ditterline for times and info (610-838-8206)
April 10 Palm Sunday, service 9:00 a.m.
April 12 Funeral services for Joseph Hall, 2:00 p.m., church
April 14 Maundy Thursday, 7:00 p.m., church (silence begins at 6:45 p.m.)
April 15 Good Friday, 7:00 p.m., church
April 17 EASTER! 9:00 a.m.
April 30 Gather 22: Hope Renewed, Diocesan Training and Gathering Day, 8:00-6:00, no cost, but registration required. https://diobeth.org/gather22/