Mel Gibson?s movie, The Passion of the Christ, has sparked renewed debate on the events of Holy Week as they are recorded in the gospels. Gibson?s work deals specifically with the Passion from the perspective of Matthew?s gospel. I?m not writing as one with authority on the movie. I?m not advocating one way or the other about going to see it. From the friends I have spoken with who have seen the movie, I have received good recommendations about the movie. I?m sure I?ll get around to watching it. Even thought that may be when the DVD comes out. This I know, with or without the movie, the story that Gibson brings to cinematic life is the most important story recorded, written or told or acted. Christ?s passion is the stuff of life. More than anything else, I hope the publicity generated by the movie will inspire people across the world to read and listen to the stories the gospel writers tell about Christ?s passion. In a couple of weeks that is what we will do in a worship service.

We call the service Tenebrae. That word is Latin for shadows. The Tenebrae service is a reading of scripture lessons that is accompanied by the gradual extinguishing of lights. The readings commemorate the Last Supper, the betrayal, the arrest, Christ?s passion, the trial, the death, the burial, and the destitution of the disciples. It is a moving, dramatic service that lends itself to a deeper understanding of the emotion, the peril, and the struggle of the last days of Jesus? life on earth.

This year we will celebrate Tenebrae as part of our Holy Week services. The Tenebrae service will be held in conjunction with our Maundy Thursday service on April 8^th at 7:00 PM. Between now and then I encourage each of you to read the gospel accounts of Holy Week and become familiar with their similarities and their differences. Take some time to discover which one resonates with you more than the others. Be open to discovering something new or rediscovering something forgotten. We all know the gist of the story, but let?s not let familiarity breed contempt. The Christian life is nothing if it isn?t a discipline. So, as we celebrate the events of Christ?s living and dying and resurrecting let us be mindful, habitual in knowing the story that gives to us our identity. And, if you want to celebrate that story in a different light, or, perhaps more correctly, in the shadow of extinguishing lights, plan on being a part of the Tenebrae service.

Maybe we?ll hear or see or find pleasantly surprising revelations in the familiar story of Jesus.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Mark