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I just read an article entitled 'relationships are the new religion for many'. It talks about Easter and other Christian and Jewish holidays and how people in the US 'celebrate' them today. The statistics are sad enough. The attitudes are heartbreaking. So many American Christians and Jews now celebrate 'holidays', not 'holy days'. It's not that they don't go to church on these days. (Personally, I know a lot of tri-weekly church-goers who are put to shame by the Christian walk of some non-attendees.) It's the celebration of the creation, not the Creator. It's the joy in getting together, not coming together. So many of us have completely missed the boat. :(
...and then I will acknowledge to them, that -- I never knew you, depart from me ye who are working lawlessness... - Matthew 7:23 (Young's Literal Translation)
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9 comments:
I agree, the loss of participation in the holy days is huge. To tell you the truth, I sort of straddle the fence on this. On the holy days leading up to the Easter celebration I will attend services at my church. On Sunday, I will get up early Easter morn to attend a lakeside sunrise service offered by a church/faith other than my own.
Afterwards I will join family in a day spent outdoors, praying my gratitudes, sharing Easter tributes and family folklore while hiking, enjoying mountain trails and waterfalls. I much prefer an Easter spent celebrating outdoors than the more traditional path of polishing the silver, decorating the dining room, cooking a feast and cleaning it all up afterwards.
I do find as I get older I enjoy the Easter services in my church less each year. Maybe it's the incense headaches which linger for days. My compromise is to do all of the serious introspection during Easter week and the celebrating outdoors on the day.
If I were to truthfully answer a questionaire by my own church, regarding my intentions to attend services on Easter Sunday, I would have to answer "no". However, I am saying "no" to that particular service, at that particular church. I am not saying "no" to my faith or God or to the holiness of the day.
Fishy, I won't be in church on Sunday, either. But I WILL be obvserving and celebrating, respectively, the Crucifixion and Resurrection! No big get-together, just immediate family. Weather permitting, we'll probably visit the wildlife refuge. I don't think there's a sunrise service in this area, more's the pity. The small town in which I grew up always had one and everybody participated at one time or another. I believe they still do it, only the location has changed and, I've heard, a different church pulls it together. It is one of the best memories of my childhood.
We have opposite stories! I do not remember a childhood Easter not centered on Church, itchy organza and Easter Egg hunts on a too full stomach.
For years I gladly followed all the traditions, cooked classic offerings and had a really grateful heart. Now? Well I like the sunrise services even when the geese protest sharing their lake!
May your Easter be blessed with much joy. Thanks for stopping by the Pond. I hope you will share Francine Caroline's story with others when appropriate. I never want her story to perish :-)
Relationship an' attitudes--
One of the saddest verses in scripture:
How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!
AND YOU WOULD NOT!
Chills mah blood.
Doan worry none a'tall , Fishy an Sophie Mae, Aunty will be in Church aplenty Thursday -Sunday an' will remind the Sweet Lord how y'all is good faithful chillen's even if a leetle bit AWOL on Easter day. I ain't a braggin' pharisee, jes' mah own heart is comforted in the Church, which is the gift Jesus' death left us fer the gatherin' of the body. 'pologize iffin' this sounds preachy.
The culture is toxic--young'uns cain't hardly navigate any relationship, an God fer most of 'em is anti-their culture such that they hate feelin' on the margins.
So glad to see ya' posting SophieMae11 yippeee! (how's yore back?)
Oh! I loved yore Pied Beauty! Hopkins is a good poet...And George Herbert be another:
The Windows
By George Herbert
Lord, how can man preach thy eternal word?
He is a brittle crazy glass;
Yet in thy temple thou dost him afford
This glorious and transcendent place,
To be a window, through thy grace.
But when thou dost anneal in glass thy story,
Making thy life to shine within
The holy preachers, then the light and glory
More reverend grows, and more doth win;
Which else shows waterish, bleak, and thin.
Doctrine and life, colors and light, in one
When they combine and mingle, bring
A strong regard and awe; but speech alone
Doth vanish like a flaring thing,
And in the ear, not conscience, ring.
Fishy, I unintentionally gave the impression that the sunrise service was our only Easter tradition. After the servce, there was church with our new Easter dresses, hats, shoes, and pocketbooks. I do wish that we, as children, had been better informed of the deeper meaning behind such finery. The connection between sunrise and regular services was lost on most of us.
Aint B, You didn't sound preachy at all! I respect and admire your devotion! Duller will be in church on Sunday. He's one of the 3-4 times a weekers.
I cringe at the very thought of sitting in a pew for that long. (Thank y' kin'ly fer askin' about m' back). I think the lesson has finally set in. Just coz it feels better don't mean it's all healed up. I have now stopped moving things around... I now sit and supervise the menfolk. 8-}
I love yore pome! I was only recently introduced to Hopkins... when I learned that Duller's old friend/roommate had written a book about him and his work.
Ho!! Dulle4's roommate wrote about Hopkins? What's the name of the book? Mayhap I has it!!
Sorry ' bout yore back....mean thang when the lumbago gits ahold of ya.
Will go to the Mass of the Last Supper tonight, after which Aunty will go offline until Easter Morning, so a blessed Easter to y'all!
Oh, do! I was gonna post this on yore page - figgered you might see it sooner - but yore comments done disappeared. 8-[
Anyhows, the aforementioned book...
The Language of Poetry as a Form of Prayer: The Theo-Poetic Aesthetics of Gerard Manley Hopkins
by Francis X. McAloon
SophieMae, thanky...I doan have that book, but reckon I can hunt it Down, an will!!!!
How's ore back?.
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