Maundy Thursday

Today is Maundy Thursday, the day upon which we celebrate the Last Supper of Jesus and the giving of his mandate to the disciples. When I was a child we did not celebrate Maundy Thursday in our church. There was no service on Friday. No time was let off on Friday and only Sunday was a special day.

On Sunday morning, Easter baskets of candy and other little trinkets were in the living room for us to open. This is what I referred to last fall as the end of the "Candy Season". That is Halloween through Thanksgiving to Christmas to Valentine's Day to Easter. Each holiday seems to include candy somewhere in it. Odd.

When Kate was born, Cindy and I made a pact that we would not try to muddy up the holiday water at Easter time with a bunch of talk about the Easter Bunny and mammals laying eggs. This seems to be one of the few pacts about raising Kate that we have kept. Other than the unilateral promise which allowed Kate to eat eggs and drink coffee without my turning up my nose.

I always thought that Easter was a 'pure' holiday, untrammeled with all the baggage that is found in Christmas. In my mind, despite the efforts of others, Easter has retained its religious nature. At least in my mind. It seems to be one of those holidays in which people who never or rarely go to church actually darken the door.

Over the years since Cindy and I have been married and on our own, the service at Maundy Thursday has become my favorite. The tone is muted and somber. The service is short and meaningful. There is time to sit and consider the factual basis and theological basis for the holiday. You really can't have Easter without Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Its a package deal. Actually, I guess you have to add Palm Sunday in there also.

Oddly, the failure of the government to take over Holy Week for government holidays or observances or such stuff may be a good argument for the efficacy of the Separation of Church and State. As long as the government keeps its hands off, it seems to keep its purity. Its funny when you consider the recent history of these types of things and the positions people take concerning them. People who don't want the government touching anything about their lives push to make sure that the government allows the sponsorship of religious matters. The people who want to keep the government off their sexuality or bodies want the government to support their lifestyle or choices. We all want the government involved when it suits us or helps something we are interested in. But we want the government out when it comes to things for which we want to be left alone.

This is the double-standard of citizenship.

Well, Easter came early this year. The temperature was cold this morning and the wind was whipping down the street when I exited my car. I will look forward to some warmer temperatures and some sunshine this weekend.

Its always sunny on Easter.

Spring came today.