On Good Friday

Went with two youngest girls to Maundy Thursday services at church last night.  What's so amazing about that service is the stripping of the altar afterward, at the end of the evening.  The altar linens are folded up, crosses/crucifix taken out, the candles extinguished and removed, the prayer books and Bibles taken out the door---everything that signifies Christ's presence.  When the significance of what's happening hits, it really can be awe-inspiring.  Think of the Last Supper, Christ's prayer watch at the Garden of Gethsemane, and how His presence was briefly missing after the Crucifixion.  Darkness.

After the items are taken from the church proper, our priest said some final words, then the lights were turned out and the acolytes ran from the room, slammed the doors and then there was silence.  Quite awful.

Then we left silently.  I went to the service last year and it brought tears to my eyes then.  Just thinking of Christ not being where I can always find him, whether in my heart or at the church is dreadful.

Then after taking the girls home, I went back for my hour at the Easter vigil.  Did it last year as well.  From the end of Maundy Thursday's service, we signed up for one hour intervals until 5:30pm tonight.  A total of 22 hours of someone praying continually.  It was bliss.  The quietest place I've been for months.  So peaceful to be in the church when nobody else is there, and doubly so to just be able to sit.  Prayer comes easy when there are no distractions.

Now I'm in bed with incense burning (frankincense and myrrh).  Was struck by how I need to allow for quiet each day, and have been gradually making an area by my side of the bed more altar-like.  A place to escape, light a candle and be still.  My new plan, and one necessary at this stage of my life for my sanity.