This past weekend, the community held an Easter night vigil. Starting at 10 p.m. on Saturday evening, people sat in the chapel waiting for Easter to come. At 7 a.m. the next morning, after a night of limited to no sleep, we greeted the resurrection of the Lord.
Among those who began the watch with us was an Orthodox Christian. I say he began because no matter how long he might have sat there on Saturday evening, his wait will be the longest as the Eastern Orthodox church celebrate Easters 5 weeks after the Western Church. Knowing how important Easter is for both traditions, I was honoured by his desire to participate in this feast weekend in the community, even though liturgically he is still in the middle of lent.
It seems .like such a small detail - simply being present - yet for me it symbolised well the desire to be church together in the middle of all the traditions that sometimes appear to conflict. And perhaps in 5 weeks, Matthijs and I will join in the craziness of the Easter celebration in the Orthodox church (a service I attended a couple of times in Grand Rapids). I will be ready for a second Easter celebration by then, I think. And nobody celebrates quite as well as the Orthodox with their 5 hour liturgies, numerous repetitions and lots of bells and whistles (and incense). :)
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