Easter Reflections

This Easter for me has been the most unique Easter weekends, one that I won't soon forget.  We weren't at home and had the chance to participate and see things we hadn't seen before.  Yes, we did go away with our friends, but I'll tell you all about that in a bit....

I can start with Lent.

This year was the first time in a while that I gave up something for Lent.  We both decided to give up refined sugar, which was super hard for me.  I hadn't realized how much I love sugar, snacking on sweet treats and how often times I do it without thinking.  I have a huge box of Eatmore bars in my freezer that I justified in going to every day because you can't take Eatmore bars in a suitcase.  I slipped up a few times where instead of just politely declining, I partook in the goodies being served.  But for the most part, I abstained, and every time my mouth watered, I prayed.  Those first few days, all I did was sentence prayers.

After a while, we became accustomed and the kids were great in reminding us that on Easter Sunday we could have sugar in our coffee and eat sweet treats.  By the way, Stevia is AWFUL in coffee....  It was a good time to talk with our kids about Lent and Easter.

We traveled on the Wednesday night before Easter and on Thursday, had the opportunity to see a Catholic procession pass the house where we were staying.  It was quite powerful as the people quietly carried large candles, the life sized saints, the wooden cross, the tray filled with elements from the Last Supper, as they recited prayers.  There were no bells during Holy Week, so a wooden canister filled with rocks was used to call the people to the service.  Probably 200 people walked passed the house.

On Good Friday, we didn't go to a service, but sat outside again to watch the processional in the evening.  This time, they had a decorated coffin with a Jesus inside.  Asha was very intrigued by that.  She kept asking over and over about why Jesus was dead inside the glass box.  We explained that it was a doll to represent Jesus, and the real Jesus is very much alive.  Kezia had lots of questions about the saints and Joel wanted to know about why the call to service couldn't include the bells at the church.

Asha continued to have questions about Jesus and his death and why he had wounds on his hands.  Kezia told her it was because the soldiers killed him and Asha then wanted to know why they killed him.  All day the questions kept coming.  In the evening we went to a concert put on by the Chorus and Orchestra of Santiago.  We enjoyed hearing Vivaldi, as well as some of the powerful Good Friday hymns.  We also had quite the interesting conversation with the Father of the church around the themes of Mennonites, Evangelicals and Catholics.

On Sunday morning, Asha woke up and the first words out of her mouth were, "The dead doll isn't real because today is Easter and Jesus is alive".  Yes He Is!

Because plans had changed (I'll explain ALL about that....) we ended up at the Catholic morning service, not in our Easter clothes, but long pants, sweaters and jackets.  Joel enjoyed being able to read the Liturgy of the service to know what was happening.  And Asha kept mumbling about the doll on the cross with his bleeding hands and gaping side wound.  By the end, she had wrapped her mind around the fact that the real Jesus is alive, until Kezia started talking about how Jesus can live in our hearts, be in heaven and all around us at the same time.

For me, one thing that I have missed in the last few Easters is the week long services that focus on remembering Jesus' last days, his death, the sorrow of his followers, and then his resurrection.  I miss the Maundy Thursday footwashing and communion.  I miss the somberness of Good Friday and the resurrection party on Sunday morning.  So this weekend, out far from our home, we were able to witness some of those deliberate acts of worship.  It was a time where I could really stop and ponder, to be called to service by the rattle of rocks in a wooden box.  Even if I didn't make my way across the plaza to church every day, the rocks clanging throughout the day definitely brought my thoughts back to Holy Week themes and the sacrifice of my Lord and Saviour.