Easter Sunday

He is Risen!
He is Risen indeed!

Even though I have barely begun my large reading due this week, I just had to write about today.
I will still write about my trip to Melbourne sometime, but this for now.

It was my first Easter without my family, which was sad, but I rejoice with them and other believers throughout all time and space today in Christ's death and resurrection!

This morning, to fulfill an assignment for our View from Australia class, Carissa and I went to St. Mary's Catholic Church. It was quite an experience, as I had never actually been to a mass like that; I've only attended a Catholic funeral and a small chapel service. St. Mary's is a large and beautiful cathedral in downtown Sydney near Hyde Park and some other historical buildings.
Carissa and I strategically sat near the back, knowing we would have no idea what to do, and thus deciding to be a part of the ripple/wave effect that would happen with the crowd.
We did most of the things right: knelt before entering the pew and crossed ourselves at the appropriate times. Ok, well, that took me a few times to get. I looked quite foolish with my eyes dashing about trying to figure out the whole thing.
The service was pretty liturgical. I wish I knew more about the way they worship so I could have been more involved. It was all very unfamiliar to me. I was comforted with the fact that many of the people there were only there a few times a year, and therefore probably had no idea what they were doing either.
That's not a factual statement, but it's typical. Judgmental? Probably. Forgive me.

Anyway, we had to deny the communion since we aren't Catholic, so that was a downer. But hey, we got sprinkled with holy water. (I'm sorry, was that irreverent? I really don't mean it to be. Just trying to keep the mood light.)

Tonight, I went to Hillsong's Easter Service at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. It was actually an art and film festival, and was really wonderful. In the entry way part of the centre, there was artwork and some short films displayed. Most of the artwork was pretty cheesed up. I respect what the artists have strived for and achieved. Some of them were really beautiful, but, slapping on a Bible verse or title to an artwork, like "faith", "Jesus loves us", or even "faith, hope, and love" just doesn't….How do I say it? Just because it's a Christian event doesn't mean it has to be that way. The short films displayed out there were all full of five minute stories with 30 second answers basically saying Jesus can fix all your problems in a jiffy. (And I'm not saying Jesus isn't The Healer or the one that can fill our void.)
I think these can be powerful tools and can reach people. But I've been having this conversation with some people, and by no means is this an original thought, but, I feel that the most powerful things we can create are things that display truth and light, thus reflecting God and his majesty, without this commercial Christianity.
Courtney and I were specifically talking about films one day. We had just sat through a Church service where there was a guy who did film reviews for the congregation and presented a review every now and then. He chose to do it on a particular movie made by a particular church in the south in America. And I think their efforts are very noble and powerful. The storyline kind of went like this: a used car salesman has an old classic, but it won't run correctly because it's missing an essential part. We then see the parallel with his life. It just isn't running right--marriage is a mess, bad relationship with his kids, etc. He's missing an essential part. And I think you can see where the rest leads.
There's a different approach to reach the world.
We recognize that the film industry has a great influence in people's lives, whether they realize it or not and whether they like it or not. Films shape our worldviews, our perceptions on life, sometimes without us even realizing it (not that I encourage mindless entertainment or the absence of reflection). How much more powerful would it be to present ideas to the world through stories, stories that make people think and wonder and question and reflect. Good stories. And that doesn't mean they all end happily ever after with Jesus in a pretty wrapped box with a bow under the tree.

The service started with worship, and being led by the Hillsong worship team, it was of course amazing. Loved it. Then different leaders spoke between short films that creators had made for the evening and sent in. They were wonderful.
One of them was a music video, but performed live. They sang Arcade Fire's "Wake Up". Let me just tell you, Courtney and I went wild. Totally got into it.
Another film was a short documentary about a man and his dog, and how this dog's unconditional love had taught him about God and life. His dog was on the verge of death, and he had to put him down with his wife. Before it happened he was already a wreck, on the phone in tears. And it was at this point in the night where I broke down bawling. I was weeping, shaking with emotion, as I watched this man take his dog to the vet with his wife. It showed them in their last embrace with the dog, crying their eyes out. Court heard me sniffling and offered her hand to my sweaty palm. Good friend.
It was a fantastic service, a celebration of God's creativity and the ways we can worship him through creativity. So glad I got to be a part of it.

And now I'm off to the outback for the week. Pray for me. Bugs, heat, greasy bangs.


"Hell took a body, and discovered it was God. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it could not see. O death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are destroyed! Christ is Risen and evil is cast down! Christ is Risen, and angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and new life is set free! Chris is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead! For Christ having risen from the dead, becomes the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!"
-St. John Chrysostom