BS: It's Good Friday

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 08:39 AM

"They were really pagans of some sort staying up all night doing some sort of strange rituals."

Sounds like the rest of us.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 05:24 AM

I taught a three-month class to prepare 22 kids to receive various sacraments. Most were confirmed a couple of weeks ago, but six received Baptism, First Eucharist, and Confirmation this evening. One was the stepson of my singing buddy Jim, who died two weeks ago. Jim's widow Christina and Christina's mother brought part of a traditional Polish Easter dinner - borscht, hard-boiled eggs, and cheesecake. We had a wonderful walk amidst the lupine and poppies along the American River, and then had our borscht, and then the liturgy. I was so proud of my kids.
Tonight's the night I get to show off my chanting skills every year - I sang the Litany of the Saints, and I always lead the 11-note "alleluia" at the end of the liturgy. When we got back to my home for cheesecake after dinner, Christina and her mother exchanged blessings in Polish. I love the traditions of Easter, especially when I'm able to experience the traditions of various ethnic groups.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Mark Clark
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 10:41 PM

The ones who really used to get me were the Gypsies in Chicago. They were really pagans of some sort staying up all night doing some sort of strange rituals. Still they'd show up at the Russian Orthodox Church on Wood St. to be baptised, married or burried. I remember the King of the Gypsies funeral back in the '60s. A long procession of people wearing brightly colored costumes following the coffin in a cart being pulled by a donkey.

They never came to any regular service. I guess they were just hedging their bets.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: RichM
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 10:19 PM

Perhaps they are following their own spiritual paths, and occasionally cross yours.
Someone said there are billions of such paths, as many as there are people on this world...

Happy Easter

Rich McCarthy

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: mousethief
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 09:10 PM

We get old country families who bring their easter baskets to church (the Pascal Liturgy) just to get them blessed by the priest. They stand around through the whole service, don't take communion, and once their baskets have been blessed, they're gone for another year. I myself don't get it.

Alex

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Mark Clark
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 08:59 PM

Joe, I know what you mean about the Great Friday services. We also get loads of people we never see at other services. We won't see them at the Paschal Liturgy tonight because it starts at 11:00 PM and finishes around 2:30. We also won't see them at the Agape service Sunday afternoon because it's not a full Liturgy. At least we can look forward to seening them next year.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Haruo
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 08:18 PM

Link to the Woody Guthrie Jesus Christ song in the DT while I'm at it.

Liland

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Haruo
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 08:11 PM

Forgot the link (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com) to the Episcopal "quick, cheap and easy" baptism story.

Liland

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Haruo
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 08:08 PM

Good Maundy Thursday service/supper at my (Baptist) church, good Lutheran Tenebrae service last night at St. John's. Maybe tonight I'll go watch the Episcopalians baptize (they call it baptism, it's really just sprinkling) their neighbors sight unseen at Christ Church. Usually it's us Baptists [well, not us; other Baptists ;-) ] that make fools of ourselves that way.

As for Good Friday songs I like Woody Guthrie's Jesus to Jesse James, and "When Jesus came to Golgotha".

Liland

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: death by whisky
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 07:58 PM

its eastr sat here. Iwas an alter boy .(Edward Daly).

Bit of a sham really,isn't it.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 07:48 PM

Seing them strip the altar bare at the end of the Good Friday service always somehow sends a shiver up my back. Feels more like a funeral than anything else, which is how it should be.

Except here the wake comes afterwards. Happy Easter everyone here.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 01:57 PM

Our Good Friday liturgy always brings an interesting assortment of people to church. You won't see some of them in church any other day of the year, but their piety is fervent on Good Friday. The rest of the year, the people are more-or-less together in the speed and meter of the prayers they recite together. On Good Friday, there are many people who recite the prayers half again as fast as the rest of us. They're not irreverent - the tone of their speech is almost like a mantra.
In the part of the liturgy where the people venerate the cross, people line up as if they were going to communion and step forward and kiss the feet of the image of Jesus on the cross. Most people do this a little shyly, but some make quite a production of it - genuflecting and crossing themselves before and after.

After the liturgy, we did the "old-style" Stations of the Cross, led by our notoriously liberal deacon and our equally notorious cantor (me). The text was written by St. Alphonsus Ligouri in the 18th century, and it's hopelessly maudlin. It goes on and on about sin and unworthiness and how horribly we have offended Jesus and caused him to die such a terrible death. As we walked along, it was interesting to see people touch or caress the statues and images we passed. After the service, small groups of people, mostly women from various ethnic groups, gathered here and there in the church and recited prayers together - again with that high-speed fervor in the tone of their voices. It's not a spirituality that I can understand, but it had a lot of meaning for a lot of people who were there. The deacon and I played it straight, and it was kind of nice to know that we could do a pretty good job leading worship in a style that was somewhat foreign to us - but we did have a good laugh after it was all over.

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: mousethief
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 01:14 PM

muzzle-loading, or breach-loading?

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Kim C
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 03:49 PM

Goin to a friend's house for supper and cigars and whiskey. Tomorrow, goin blackpowder shootin. Just at targets though.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: LR Mole
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 11:33 AM

Breathe quietly for a bit. Alone with yourself.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: mousethief
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 03:11 AM

Thank you, Naem!

Alex, who does indeed plan on having a good Easter (any and all prayers for fair weather in the Seattle area for Sunday would be much appreciated! Hoping to have a big outdoor cookout and such!)

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Naemanson
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 08:08 PM

You are right! Tomorrow is good Friday. It is a good friday to go to Portsmouth and sing and drink beer and socialize. It is a good Friday to take a few hours of personal time.

And for some (many?) of you it is a serious time as well. Have a good Easter.

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: DougR
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 07:59 PM

'Tis also Thursday in Arizona. DougR

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: Mr Red
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 05:58 PM

mousthief
One step ahead, Joy has to get up at 5 pm to milk cows (still FMD free).
Mr Red is back home in UK time but working to NZ time.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD MARKET SQUARE (Ted Edwards)
From: nutty
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 01:19 PM

This is a personal favourite

The Old Market Square
by Ted Edwards

They arrested a man last night in the park
He'd been to a party, his friends they were there
But they dragged him away down the road in the dark
And took him on down to the Old Market Square

First to the Town Hall where the trial was done
They put him before Corporation and Mayor
When they asked who he was he said , "I'm the Lord's Son"
So they ordered him out to the Old Market Square

And just as the postman ws doing his rounds
The paper boy whistling with never a care

They were stripping him naked , his hands tightly bound
They were whipping that man in the Old Market Square

The workers were rushing , the bus coming in
The sleepy conductor collecting the fare
But above all the bustle, the roar and the din
Came a hammering sound from the Old Market Square

Then a voice filled with sadness , cried out deep in pain
"Father! Forgive them! They are not aware!"
And I turned up my collar against the cold rain
As a quietness came to the Old Market Square

It's the same every morning , when truth is unfurled
He calls out to me "FOLLOW ME - IF YOU DARE!"
But it takes all the love - and the faith in the world
To follow that man in the Old Market Square

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:32 PM

Still Maundy Thursday here, too

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: mousethief
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 11:31 AM

Um, it's Thursday here. What time zone are you in, Joy?

Subject: RE: BS: It's Good Friday
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 11:24 AM

Prescription for this day.

Take this soul-medicine (you needn't be Christian)
- McTell's "Jesus Wept",
- Garnet Roger's version of Och's Crucifixion

Someone thought humanity was worth the effort;
I'd say that's a pretty good day.

Subject: It's Good Friday
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 10:58 AM

It's good any day!
Still juming with Joy
Joy sends her regards.