Easter Disappointment in Mexico

Over the years, Easter has slowly assumed its permanent place in my hierarchy of holidays as my very favorite. As my dad said, "It should be the happiest day of the year!" I couldn't agree more. Over the last several years, our church in Mt. Airy, NC has established some important rituals that have made Easter even more special to our family, but since we're currently living in Mexico, we were obviously not able to participate this year.

We've come to appreciate the Holy Week activities that include a powerful Maundy Thursday service, sometimes a Good Friday service, but always a Easter-eve all night vigil and a grand celebration on Easter Morning.

The all night vigil offers a time for individuals to be in the sanctuary alone to pray, meditate, cry, sing and reflect on the significance of the sacrifice on the cross and the amazing promise of the resurrection. Some of my most meaningful spiritual experiences have occurred during the all-night vigils between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

As the Easter morning services begin, the lights are down, there is silence in the air, the sanctuary is bare, and the cross, with its crown of thorns, captivates every eye. As the service begins, slowly "new life" emerges. The lights slowly rise. The vestments are brought forth and the altar area is dressed and adorned for the day. Music progresses from peaceful to joyful, and soon members of the congregation come forward to "flower the cross" with beautiful fresh flowers! Sometimes there has been extra-special music, and of course, everyone has dressed their best in cheerful outfits that complement the beauty of the flowers. By mid-service, the mood is jubilant, the celebration is in full force as we celebrate "He is Risen Indeed!"

But not for Presbyterians in Mexico. Holy Week is a week of vacations for virtually all people in Mexico. Schools are out for 2 weeks. Adults are often granted the whole week off. The streets are FULL of families shopping for fish (the only acceptable meat to be consumed during Holy Week), children enjoying the time off from school, and vendors GALORE! Until Good Friday when everything shuts down --- for the day. I've heard that in some cities, on Good Friday night, all night long (literally) there are speakers that amplify a recording of "Mary, mother of Jesus," as she sobs and wails in response to the crucifixion of Jesus. All night long, Mary cries. Fiestas are everywhere, and for some, it is an occasion to be celebrated with much drink, fireworks, and song...again, all night long. By Saturday, and ironically Easter Sunday, except for seeing more kids out, it's back to business as usual. Stores are open. Gas and water trucks with their loud speakers and clanging chains are back out on the road.

Our Easter morning Presbyterian worship service did begin at 7AM instead of 10, but there weren't many people there because many were vacationing in their home villages with extended family. There was no extra effort to dress extra nice or to collect our fresh flowers for flowering the cross because the cross is conspicuously absent. There was no special music and no celebration. It seemed sad to me that the need for Presbyterians here to distinguish themselves from the Catholics couldn't translate into seeing the opportunity to shift the focus from obsessing about death and the mourning, to proclaiming loud and joyfully, "He is Risen. He is Risen Indeed!"

I love being here, and I love our brothers and sisters in Christ here. Part of the "new" model of missions is to be partners in missions, not patriarchs. We are hear to partners with our brothers & sisters in Christ and to respect the culture here - not try to change it. It never occurred to me that the joy of Easter would be lost here. Pray with me that we can find some way that does respect the culture to share of our experiences of celebrating the resurrection and invite our Presbyterian brothers & sisters to join in that celebration so that they too may revel in the promise of new life, hope and love that Easter symbolizes for so many.

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
Amen.