It was a chilly Friday afternoon and the weather was somewhere between winter and spring. We gathered in the backyard, bundled in our jackets, long pants and sneakers. It was Good Friday an in our journey to the cross it was time to walk the stations and look into our hearts.
When I was a child growing up, it seemed as though church lasted all afternoon on Good Friday. I must admit that I don’t remember much of it, other than where we would sit, the beautiful expanse of the sanctuary, lots of readings and songs, and lots of sitting. But on this Good Friday it would be something different. Stations of the Cross around the yard. Eric found a simple service for children on line (www.cptryon.org), made some modifications, and printed a copy that we shared. With the cross that Faye had decorated in Sunday School we began our journey.
From station to station, 14 of them, the girls would rotate, Faye had the odd numbers, Meghan the even. Our job as adults was to read the reflections. Abbey, a friend of the girls, came along with us and she listened and we explained the historical piece of the journey to give it context in her Jewish faith. The cross went from place to place being set in trees, on tables, in the milk box, on a basketball post, the back of a car, and finally coming to rest deep inside the canopy of an evergreen.As we moved to the front yard a couple was passing by and noticed us. You could see them chatting. The man took off his hat, looked at us, and put it over his heart. One never knows when one is a witness to another.
At the end, Sue asked the girls if they had any questions. One asked why didn't say anything about Easter. Ah, we responded, this is part of a very important three days of Easter: from dusk on Thursday through dusk on Sunday. Faye reminded us that Thursday was about the Last Supper and that was when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and we were given the commandment to love and serve one another. How at church Pastor serves everyone first and then his served last. And that Friday was about the death of Christ. A time that we are humbled by Christ's great sacrifice for us and the world.
Later that evening I went on my way after a plate of potato latkes with Abbey’s parents. I worshipped and listen to the story again ... from the old testament to the Gospel of John. I sang the song "Were you There" through silent tears of memories, sadness, joy, and hope. I placed a stone at the foot of the cross, laid my sins and am grateful for continued forgivness.And now today we wait. We wait in anticipation that Jesus will rise from the dead. Today is the vigil.
