Passiontide Approaches

We used to call the last two weeks of Lent Passiontide--tomorrow, the 5th Sunday in Lent, would mark the beginning of Passiontide, which would last through Holy Saturday.

In these days of compression and short attention spans, many churches celebrate all of Holy Week on what once would be called Palm Sunday.

I yearn for a return to the old ways, when crosses would be draped in black or purple for these last two weeks of Lent.

I want to slow down, to savor this season, the last time we will see the purple paraments for many months.

I want to take time to ponder this Lenten journey from ash

to resurrection.

I want to take my lesson from the monks and others who call us to the old ways, who remind us that those ways still have much to teach us.