*Written on Easter Sunday, Monastery Montserrat
I have been in church so much this week my back side looks like a wooden pew! Actually, more like a metal folding chair!
Throughout our time in retreat silence from Wednesday until after the Easter Vigil service, Father Sergi has led us with an image of water.
On Thursday evening it is traditional in many Christian churches to re-enact Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet. Abbot Josep M. Soler washed the feet of 12 people, two were monks, the others were from the community. You can bet those were really clean feet before the Abbot touched them. Jesus was washing feet that wore sandals and trod on dusty roads before entering the upper room for dinner.
Father Sergi suggested, we meditate on John 13:1-15. This is the account where Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. In my meditation I stood before Jesus as he looks into my eyes and insists on washing my feet. How would I feel? What would I say? What would I do? What is Jesus teaching me?
You might benefit from this meditative process. You can step into any scene of scripture.
On Good Friday I meditate on the Passion Scriptures and the words of Jesus as he hangs on the cross. He says, “I thirst!” Once again, I step into the scripture. I stand near the cross. I hear Jesus say, “I Thirst.” Do you want me to give you water, Jesus? What is it that you thirst for now, today? What “thirst” can I satisfy for you? Who is the “thirsty” Jesus in my life? What needs to occur in our relationship for the “thirst” to be satisfied? Am I willing to do it?
Do you have other questions that you want to explore?
On Holy Saturday we are waiting in the garden. Jesus has been placed in a tomb. There are no more words. I sit with the silence of Scripture and wait. There is an emptiness. A feeling of something missing. We eat simple foods. No wine. No desert. Very simple. I walk in the monks’ silent prayer garden. I pray and think about my rocky road relationship with Jesus because of childhood misinterpretations and false notions. Mary invites me, “love him as I love him.” What simple wisdom. Today I find it hard to do, because it is flipping me back to a place I have worked long and hard to get myself free from.
I hold the belief that Jesus did die on a cross, but I don’t think that was a predestined mission. I think he was here first and foremost to teach us how to live, how to love, how to know Divinity, how to be aware of the Divinity, an essential part of each child of God. All of us.
He wanted us to know that we share in the same Divinity that he shared in. That Divinity is part of who we are, that the kingdom/queendom is within us, that he sent the Spirit to dwell in us. The Spirit prays in our hearts when we simply are too weary, to downhearted to pray. It is all in the scriptures. How can we miss his straightforward message?
He taught us to take care of one another, He taught us to sing and rejoice. He taught us to care for Earth and all creation. He taught us the power of love. Love is not a thing. Love is a PERSON. We share in the life of that person.
I think in order to complete his life’s work based on love he found it necessary to accept its natural culmination in the last week of his life. His culminating act of love was to embrace the way of the cross and death to teach in the most complete way that he could, about what LOVE truly is. He modeled for us in his final acts of self-giving, how to love completely.
No one can out-love him.
I think there are humans who have followed very closely in his footsteps resulting in the same outcome. One that always comes to mind is Oscar Romeo. There are numerous martyrs for love.
Perhaps you have one that comes to mind. Please share that person with us.
Later, Holy Saturday evening, we gather in the Basilica at 9:15 for silence and prayer. At 10:00 rain pours down and some of us go to the Plaça, the courtyard to witness the lighting of the New Easter Fire, a symbol of resurrected life coming from out of the ashes.
I stood in the rain between two tall men who held a covering over me so I wouldn’t get soaked. Two young people, from the gathered crowd, came and offered me their umbrellas. What a place this is that holds so much honoring for folks with silver hair!! Anyway, I kind of enjoyed being held up by two strong tall men and kept out of the rain at the same time. I think the video I took while in this configuration is quite memorable. I hope to attach it to this reflection.
What happened, was a first for me. The Christ candle was lit from the New Fire. The procession started into the Basilica. The Christ Candle went out.
The wind and the rain made things difficult. They had to go back to the Fire and start once again. This time being sure that the candle got a good start, they placed a glass globe over the flame to protect from the wind and rain. It worked.
The three of us, Agusti, Roger and me, made our way immediately behind all the main players in the procession. When we arrived at the steps to the Main Altar, we quickly circled round back through the Cloister to get to our designated chapel on the right side of the Basilica.
Being part of this unique group of six retreatants, three men and three women, who are here for this first-time immersion experience into the Monastic living of Holy Week is beyond telling. I am the only one who is NOT from Catalan. I am the only one who speaks English.
Father Sergi is teaching in both languages for my benefit. It is an unbelievable experience to be so included!
No one is permitted to take pictures of any rituals. The rituals are so amazing. I understand the rule. They don’t want the Sacred to become solely a tourist attraction. I have established credibility here with the use of my iPhone for English translation purposes, so I don’t want to take advantage of that privilege and break their trust.
The Easter Vigil was filled with all the Liturgical options. Every one of the readings from Old Testament and New were read. There were at least six people baptized. I found it interesting that the children were all about 10 years old. Very similar practice to the Disciples of Christ baptism at age of choice instead of infant baptism. There was one adult baptized.
The Baptismal Font, a HUGE clam shell with gold edging, was filled with water for blessing. The Easter Candle, lit with the light of Christ from the New Fire, was lowered into that water three symbolic times. The Easter water was used for baptisms.
Easter Sunday, I attended all of the festivities - which meant I was in church again after just a few hours sleep. I have never attended a Laudes like this one. There were numerous special readings and incensings.
I lost count of how often they prepared and incensed the altar, and all of us. I think at least six times throughout the day.
When I am at home, I smudge, which is traditional incensing using natural aromatic herbs. Every night as part of my pre-sleep evening prayer ritual. Among other prayers, it is the time I hold all your intentions in my heart and speak them to the Universe. Sometimes, I rationalize, I don’t need to smudge again because we smudged at Medicine Wheel Gathering that afternoon, I will reconsider, now that I know some smudge six times a day!
There is a professional team of photographers streaming the events and taking photos. I hope they will put together a video of Holy Week Highlights . That would be fantastic!
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