Palm Sunday, Passover, and Lunar Eclipses

Some random thoughts as we leave Palm Sunday and head towards Passover and Holy Week.  All this, and a lunar eclipse!

--Yesterday our church did Walter Wangerin's The Cry of the Whole Congregation.  I thought about how much more I like it than any other approach to Palm/Passion Sunday that I've seen.  I thought about how many churches I've been to in my life for Palm Sunday.  I tried not to realize how old I am.

--I confess that I prefer the very old-fashioned way of expecting Palm Sunday to be Palm Sunday, and if people can't make it back for Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, oh well.

--But at least the Wangerin work is more participatory.  I really hate hearing one person read a lengthy Gospel.

--Passover starts tonight.  I think of the Seder meals of my past, of the ways that Christians have tried to understand the Jewishness of Jesus and the shared roots of Christianity and Judaism.

--I know that some people think that Christians celebrating a Seder is insulting to us all.  I disagree.  Well, I disagree if that Seder put on by Christians is done in a spirit of ecumenism.  And I've been invited to a Seder or two and been happy to be part of the Jewish family for the night.

--For wonderful insight into the Exodus story, see this episode of the NPR show On Being.  For a great resource that's very ecumenical yet rooted in Judaism, I highly recommend Marge Piercy's Pesach for the Rest of Us.  Lots of insight into the traditions and lots of recipes:  I think I'll bring it with me to work today.

--There's a lunar eclipse in the overnight hours.  I'll likely be up anyway between 3 and 5 a.m. in the Eastern time zone, so I'll keep an eye on it.  I'm always amazed at how much time a lunar eclipse takes.

--And it's tax day tomorrow.  I got my taxes submitted last week-end, so it's not a big day for me.  But the poet part of me wants to create a poem that weaves all of these things together.