Chocolate B-log. My Easter Reflections

Maundy Thursday - attended a Passover Meal at the Corps presided over by Messianic Jews who also gave us the opportunity for some dancing. It was very interesting and they are so passionate that the Jewish Nation recognise Jesus - a massive prayer for them and brilliant how they interwove the redemption of Jesus into the redemption history of the Jews. ( Great Shepherds Pie too!)


So today is Good Friday and we joined with the Churches together in Romford for an Ecumenical Walk of Witness around the town, stopping at various churches for times of worship and reflection.

It wasn't easy getting to the first church as Keith had decided it would be quicker to walk and we seemed to take a very scenic route, and also had left 10 minutes after we had agreed to, ( K asked me to add that bit in) arriving as the worship had begun - This Is Our God The Servant King. I was moved immediately - I mean emotionally, I wasn't asked to change seats or anything.

We had to sit in the balcony of the Baptist church so felt quite removed from the proceedings, but had a great view of the screen on which was projected the scene from The Passion where Jesus is bought before Pilate. I was nervous initially as I didn't know how the children would deal with it, y'know, seeing Jesus in that battered state.(They still haven't mentioned it,but I have a feeling that bedtime tonight might provide a good discussion opportunity)

Anyway, what hit me today was the humanity of Jesus and the way that, in this film, Pilate tried to intellectually get his head round this battered problem standing before him. In some movies, Pilate is portrayed as a weak man , but here he seems to be given the opportunity to show some discernment.He really wanted to understand, but how could he?

Jesus answered the questions as only the Son of God as a man could. What words could actually describe why he was there when then people didn't have the objectivity of hindsight that we have. We ask 'How could they not know?' and in the light of Isaiah prophecies, really how could they not know, how can they still not know? But they didn't and ironically, that is how it had to be.( Big thoughts on predestination which were bought up in discussions with some friends later, see**)

From there we walked to the Catholic Church and listened to a song sung by 'Mary' and I amazed to experience the grief of a mum - humanity again.

I really felt for the two boys at the front of the church who were chosen to be a tableau, particularly Stefan who was asked to hold the crown of thorns above Jesus head...for ages.

We then walked, with SA Band accompaniment to the High C of E Church in the market place and had to walk through the market to get there. Life was going on around us, some people looked up, some people moaned that we weren't buying anything, saying anything, giving anything out etc. and I did think that perhaps we should have had 'something' to give to people, but now I think what we gave them was our witness, ourselves, a moment to wonder what we were doing maybe?

From there, a chance to witness at the top of the market place and sing my fave Easter Song - 'When I Survey The Wonderous Cross' and look around to see that the group of people had got really quite big. We were standing in a circle looking in towards the cross....should we have been looking out I wonder, making some contact with the people in the town, inviting, challenging?

Our final stop was at the Methodist Church where I found myself sitting right at the front by the cross they had placed there. The church was packed so some of us were facing the rest of the the congregation. By this time, Thomas was really moaning, thirsy, hungry, tired etc and sniffing really loudly and I was distracted by this and began to find things 'funny'.

I had been really blessed all morning, but during the singing of 'Were you there when they crucified my Lord?', got one of those giggles that just won't go, until given full vent. It was during the 'OOooohhh' bit of the chorus and I really had to struggle to get control. I have to lay some of the blame at my good friend Fiona ( hah gotcha, now write your own blog!) who had just given me one of her 'looks', that could have meant a number of things and I chose for it to mean the wrong thing, which is probably what she really meant anyway!

Problem was, I was spotted, by some of our youth and given a really hard time on the way back to the hall - good for them though, I'm all up for accountability, as long as I can have a go at them for chatting in the evening meeting!

They said that my feeble efforts at gaining control had made them laugh. Ho hum, sorry for being human!

**So, an oppportunity to chat over tea and Hot Cross Buns - are they still Hot when they're cold?
Which is where the BIG discussion took place. I'm not going to go into it here though - this blog's long enough.

More tomorrow!