Is there a right way to celebrate Easter? As I drove home tonight from playing the Easter vigil service at the Cathedral in Lansing, I found myself asking this question. In the car, I had on NPR's American Roots program, and I heard Aretha Franklin singing with a gospel choir, belting out a song, praising Jesus for what he's done, followed by a Dixieland group playing When the Saints Go Marching In. All three were so different, yet they all focused on the same message.
A bizarre ritual performed by the Eastern Orthodox Church was also on my mind, since I heard about it earlier today on All Things Considered: the ritual of the Holy Fire. Have you heard of this? This has been going on every Easter for over 1,200 years. I think it's one of the strangest and most fantastical rituals in all of Christendom.
According to the Eastern Orthodox Church, every Easter, Holy Fire descends into the tomb of Jesus (which tradition says is located at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem). Apparently, early during the day, the tomb is inspected for any device that might produce flames, to ensure that no human means could produce the Holy Fire. The entrance to the tomb is then sealed with wax.
At the appointed hour, a somber procession of priests will circle the tomb three times, once for each member of the Holy Trinity. Then, the patriarch of the church will be stripped of his ceremonial robes, leaving him clothed only in a white robe. He will enter the tomb, and pray for the fire to be sent down from heaven, a sign that Christ has not forgotten humanity. In a few minutes, his hand is extended out a portal, and he holds a lighted torch. The assemblage screams with joy, and the flame is passed from person to person as candles are lit throughout the church. The flame is then transported all across the world to light candles in Orthodox churches everywhere.
Bizarre, don't you think? And what a strange tradition and way to celebrate Easter. I'm of course a skeptic, and think it's a bit absurd (though I certainly don't doubt the possibility--I just don't believe that God operates that way today). Regardless, all of these different traditions and forms of worship made me wonder about what we think of the rituals of others, and if there's a "right way" to celebrate Easter.
I like the diversity I see. I'm glad some people in the Orthodox Church believe that Holy Fire comes down from heaven once a year. I'm glad that gospel choirs all across the nation will be hooting and hollering in praise of God on Easter, and that somewhere in New Orleans, a Dixieland band will be leading people in worship. And I'm glad that rich liturgies will be employed in churches all across the land too. I wonder what Easter celebrations are like in Peru, or in South Korea, or deep in the heart of Africa. My church will have it's own flavor--I'll be hearing a rock band lead Mars Hill in praise to God for what he's done. Not my cup of tea, but I recognize that it's a way for a lot of people to connect with God in ways that other churches don't provide.
I sometimes think about what worship is going to be like in heaven. Will it be the somber and noble atmosphere that I witnessed in the Cathedral tonight, rich with ritual, tradition and symbolism? Will it be the exuberance of Aretha Franklin? Will it be the postmodern sound of a rock band? Will it be the singing of some good old Southern Baptist hymns? Will it feature some ritual Holy Fire? Could the sounds of Love Supreme, played by John Coltrane, make an appearance? Will we hear the St. Matthew Passion of J.S. Bach, sung by choirs of angels?
I don't know--I just hope there's a mix of it all. We're all celebrating the same thing, after all, in our own way, aren't we?
He is risen indeed.
Happy Easter, everyone.
3 comments:
Dan,
I'm glad you're enjoying Mars Hill, regardless of whether the music there would be your first choice.
I would suppose Heaven may have every style of music you've mentioned and many, many, many more - fun to consider, isn't it?!
Happy Easter to you, friend. And, oh yes, He is risen indeed!
I was actually pleasantly surprised by the music on Sunday--a lot of drumming, on an assortment of all kinds of things, sort of like Stomp. The one thing I will say about the music at Mars Hill is that it's high quality, whenever I hear it, though sometimes it's not my thing. But it's good.
Apparently in the next month or so, they're planning a Chicago inspired worship service with hip horn lines, and I think I'll be playing. Ran into a guy who's a tuba player I went to school with, and he's played a few times there, so that's one way to get involved.
i spent a long time looking at the image that you posted trying to decide if it is the sun and a very wide angle lens or two separate light sources. my conclusion is the sun. those shafts of light occur in real life sometimes, but i seem them more often in films. i need to get some on my reel. i imagine, just, several hundred years ago those shafts of light were much more prevalent in the absence of electricity. yes, i am a nerd.
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