SLICE #29- TENEBRAE

Last night
I attended Tenebrae
the service of darkness.

when the service begins
the sanctuary
is lit by candles

The congregation shares
in communion
the holiest of all celebrations

Jesus invites his disciples

to eat the bread

"This is my body,

broken for you,

Eat this in remembrance of me.

And drink the wine.

This is my blood

poured out for you

drink this in remembrance of me.

as pastors read
the stories of Jesus' last days on earth

candles
are extinguished
one by one

Jesus washes the disciples' feet
tells Peter
that he will betray him
three times before the cock crows

a candle is blown out
the world becomes darker

Jesus sends Judas
out to betray him

a candle is blown out
and the world becomes darker

Finally,
the soldiers come
and Jesus is betrayed.

a candle is blown out

the world becomes darker

And then 

the Author of Love

is plunged into the depths of hatred.

My God, my God, 

why have you forsaken me?

and are so far from my cry

and from the words of my distress?

O my God, I cry in the daytime, 

but you do not answer; 

by night as well, but I find no rest.

³ 

the pastor carries
the final candle
the Christ candle
out of the room

the sanctuary is dark
and the congregants leave 
in total silence

waiting for Resurrection Sunday

this morning

like a thousand others

I cry out to God

I have prayed

and prayed

for change

in my boys' lives

I have prayed for healing

and for wholeness.

I have prayed

that my boys would know

in the innermost depth of their being

that they are loved

by me

but more importantly

by the Father. 

And that that love

would set them free

to be the men

I know live inside

their broken

wounded hearts.

I have prayed for 

godly men

to walk alongside of them

on this journey

and yet

for the last two years

Our lives have felt like

Tenebrae

one candle 

after another

hopes 

dreams

promises

vision

extinguished

Until we are left

in total darkness

and His voice is 

replaced by silence

My God, my God, 
why have you forsaken me?

and are so far from my cry

and from the words of my distress?

O my God, I cry in the daytime, 

but you do not answer; 

by night as well, but I find no rest.

Today

I am trying hard

to remember

to believe

and to wait patiently

for Resurrection Sunday.

³ You are holy,
O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
⁴ In You our fathers trusted;
They trusted and You delivered them.
⁵ To You they cried out and were delivered;
In You they trusted and were not disappointed.