Holy Thursday: Rained Out

Today is Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Easter Triduum - the most sacred celebrations of the liturgical year. It is also Passover. Both celebrations are about freedom, from slavery, sin and death. (Unfortunately, it is not about freedom from taxes, which we had to finish up this morning and get into the mail as we will be on vacation next week.)

Perhaps then, it was fitting that my son's game was rained out today. Perhaps this is God's way of saying that there are more important things than participating in sports or training for a hike - even if it is Half Dome and even if you are raising money for a good cause. But I did do some work in our garden: mixing new dirt in with chicken and steer manure by shovel. I'm sure that burned some calories today. I shoveled while monitoring my amateur radio for updates on today's fibercut. There was a possibility I would have to respond in support of the affected cities, but by the time I was available (i.e., had child care covered), support was no longer required.

I did watch The Passion of the Christ this evening. I try to watch it every year during Holy Week. More than any movie on the subject that I have ever seen, it makes the suffering and death of Jesus real. The crucifixion was not merely beautiful artwork.

I am usually struck by something when I watch this movie: this year I thought what an incredibly good job was done portraying the cruelty and depravity of the Roman Empire. It may be difficult for some to believe that Roman soldiers or any human being could have been so brutal, let alone enjoyed such brutality. Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is an excellent chronicle of the Roman empire's depravity (despite Gibbon's Enlightenment-era anti-Christian streak).