LENTEN SHADOWS

Yesterday I attended my first Tenebrae Service (on zoom). 

 

"The name Tenebrae (Latin for "darkness or "shadows") refers to the ancient monastic night and early morning service, rich with psalms and prayers... with an opportunity to enter into Holy Week through prayer, music, and reflection." (St. Basil's Bulletin).  

 

It was a beautiful Service of Shadows.  Filled with "time" that has that liminal quality it can sometimes have for me (and maybe for you?) of standing still and moving at the same time.

Over the years, I have spent a lot of time in monasteries and with religious communities praying the liturgy of the hours and singing ("really uncomfortably!") the psalms. 

But last night, at the Tenebrae Service, my inner monk found me!  It was such a gentle, unexpected, remarkable surprise. I take back everything I ever said about technology.  

 

It was the first time I ever truly enjoyed singing and praying the psalms with others. I could see it in my own eyes and face on Zoom.   Who would have thought!!!  My shadow? 

 

Facing Our Shadows 

 What if we are all sacred pilgrimage destinations?

 Then are we not all potentially moving towards encounter with each other!

 Will it be a fearsome encounter of war?

 Or a fearsome encounter of peace?

 Why is war so easy and peace so hard?

 Is war the whole D a m n--  B r e a k i n g ?

 Is war all our shadows breaking, pouring through?

 What if we faced our shadows?

 What if I faced mine?

 And you faced yours

 Would we see the grace not war and violence pour through?

 What if I dropped my false self?

 And what if you dropped your false self

 And what if with the dead dry bones of our false selves

A bridge was built to see and reach and greet each other on?

Imagine all the Peace Bridges! (thank you Buffalo)

Imagine (thank you John Lennon)

"I will lay me down,

--Like a bridge over troubled waters" (thank you Paul Simon)

NO deployment of atomic shadow weapons

I will lay me down...

I will surrender...

"I will take my chances!" (thank you Mary Chapin Carpenter)

I will consider peace (thank you Jesus)

Calling on all leaders to hire peace makers, right now!

Lots and lots of peace makers

Pay them crazy exorbitant over-flowing wages

And don't stop hiring peace makers (and poets) 

Until there is full employment!

 

 Cb

 

 

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