Thursday 1 April 2010


At the time of the big Christian Holy days, Easter and Christmas, I'm usually aware that my perspective and experience of these times is rather more secular than maybe it could be. Like pretty much everyone else my Christmases are dominated by thoughts of festive foods and family gatherings, holidays and gifts. I view Easter as time to catch my breath with a long weekend, time to eat hot cross buns and chocolate. I spend some time reflecting and I go to church but these Holy times are not neccessarily times of great spiritual growth or revelation. Most of the time I live peacably with this truth, knowing that these things can't be forced and thinking little of it but today was different.

At work I made the comment that Good Friday is little more important to me than any other day and then I had to figure out why.

Two thousand years ago Jesus, Yeshua, was arrested, humiliated and executed during the time of the passover and He did it willingly, to save me from darkness.

So how is it that I can consider the marking of these horrific events little differently to any other day?

It's hard to relate to, I was not there, I live in a different time, a different place, a different culture.....

and it is too big to comprehend. Two thousand years ago a man suffered a torturous death for the benefit of all humanity to come. It's unimaginable.

Tomorrow, like every Good Friday, I will have a hot cross bun for breakfast, I will go to church and reflect, I will hope for a grey, sombre day to remind me of His pain and death and I will put aside some aspects of everyday living.

Good Friday is only subtly different to everyday life and I like it that way. I don't want to indulge in grand but empty displays of religiosity. Good Friday is the day for me to remember a stupendous sacrifice but if I am to really pay my respects my remembering cannot be a yearly event, celebrated and forgotten, I must live every day in gratitude.


Easter is the demonstration of God that life is essentially spiritual and timeless. ~Charles M. Crowe


13 comments:

  1. I really like this reflection, Kylie--in itself, it's a fitting way to honor your holiday.

    I often think of Jesus during this week--for me, the Passover week--and feel a kinship with him.

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  2. I must say, as a non-believer, no prompting is needed to be aware of the millions of people suffering in the world and what could be done to help them. The tragedy is that too many people are so preoccupied with their own particular lives that those less fortunate get forgotten.

    Easter is good if it prompts people to look at the wider picture for a while. And enjoy a few hot cross buns....

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  3. Damn! (Can I say that on a Good Friday post?) I forgot all about hot cross buns!
    Seriously though...this post was beautiful. In my forty some years of life (what I could control of it) I never went to church during Holy Week except this year. Exactly because of the Gratitude. I saw the priest, told him and then missed two weeks but then again...he knows who he is dealing with. He and his family lived a couple doors down from where we now live.
    Gratitude for many people is very hard to find. Once you do though, life is exceptionally gracious and fulfilling.
    I rock out to Jesus Christ Superstar all week...to the point that my almost one year old I think is singing along! Ha!

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  4. leah,
    thank you. i was concerned it sounded a bit flippant....
    though thats not the word i need.

    i wonder what it would be like to meet Him?

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  5. nick,
    i am always saddened by the fact that sometimes the non-believers live better than the believers.

    you didnt mention chocolate, not a fan?

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  6. merely me,
    did you get my email address? i'm not getting to see your blog :(

    i'm glad you have found gratitude to be a positive in your life. and what a gift you were given!

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  7. Argh. I've written a few replies and then deleted them. Argh. (It's not you, it's me.)

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  8. megs,
    i doubt you are about to say anything truly offensive, even if you are it might be good for me to hear it

    cheers

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  9. Oooh you're teasing me, of course I love chocolate. There's a wee box of Easter chocs just waiting to be eaten....

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  10. Yes! You should have gotten an invite by now...I haven't posted anything though. I cut and paste it last night from your comment. It says your invite is still "open". Get me at this email using no numbers:
    123javabeanmeatgmaildotcom789.

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  11. I don't think any of it was offensive. :)

    But I can't now recall a single word.

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  12. Beautifully said Kylie. Take care.

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  13. I found you off Tempo's blog and I'm glad I did. I really like this post. Put me in the correct holiday mood. Thanks for the beautiful writing and I hope you have a great holiday, whatever you do!

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