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I attend my church on Easter morning, which is followed by a potluck brunch. Then I got to visit my mother for dinner in the afternoon. My daughter will be there, also, and at least two of my siblings, possibly a third.
I have observed Maundy Thursday only once since I started attending this church. They do foot-washing, and I participated it in the first time, but the whole thing just skeeves me. The priest and a deacon or other helper are up there with a tub of water and a towel, and you come up and take off your shoes and the priest dips your foot in the water and the deacon hands him or her the towel and they dry off your feet.
I get what this tradition is about, the bible story and all that, but this is NOT the Middle East 2000 years ago when people walked on dusty streets in sandals. Foot-washing has no significance in modern society, and unless you are a doctor, someone I am intimate with, or I am paying you to remove callouses, massage my feet, and polish my toenails, I don't want you touching my feet.
So I skip that service now.
I do Good Friday. As a matter of fact, I am in demand on Good Friday because I read clearly and dramatically in a voice that carries without the aid of a microphone, and so for the past five years or so I have been the person tagged as the Narrator to read the Passion in the GF service. I enjoy that.
Something I do not do on Good Friday, is the "veneration of the cross". This is the part when they lay a wooden cross up on the altar and everyone goes up and bows and kisses the cross. Um, no. My Protestant upbringing won't let that happen. I am not bowing to a man-made object. The person I usually attend with was born into a Jewish family, and she won't do that, either, so we just stay seated.
In general, one of the things I like about an Episcopal Church is ritual and tradition, but foot-washing and cross-kissing are two things I just won't do.
I'm not religious, so I don't attend any service. When my parents were alive, we'd all get together for a wonderful meal. Some of my sibs still do so but I haven't joined them for the past several years, since I moved to the boonies.
The Big Day for me is Easter Monday when all the chocolates are on half-price.
I'm not religious, so I don't attend any service. When my parents were alive, we'd all get together for a wonderful meal. Some of my sibs still do so but I haven't joined them for the past several years, since I moved to the boonies.
The Big Day for me is Easter Monday when all the chocolates are on half-price.
I'm not religious, so I don't attend any service. When my parents were alive, we'd all get together for a wonderful meal. Some of my sibs still do so but I haven't joined them for the past several years, since I moved to the boonies.
The Big Day for me is Easter Monday when all the chocolates are on half-price.
I don't imagine that anyone in my family will get together for Easter once my mother is gone. Out of my six living siblings, I'm the only one that has any connection to Christianity. My two brothers who will be there for Easter dinner will be there because they have health issues and live with my mother. My daughter is not Christian, but comes to Easter dinner out of love and respect for my mom.
Remembering Jesus' resurrection is a quieter matter; definitely not involving crowds at a church. No rituals or rites. Different every year. Might just pour some wine at dawn this year, with a simple honorable toast. Maybe toss in some tasty bread and oil, for communion. More about quality than just doing what everyone else does.
Last edited by Thoreau424; 03-29-2018 at 03:34 PM..
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