March 24, 2005

Maundy Thursday

We when to the church’s Maundy Thursday service tonight. It is called a Tenebrae service. I’d not been through one before, but I found it quite moving.

As the service went on, the lights one-by-one were switched off. When I was completely dark, save the exit ligts, the Pastor sang, without musical accompaniment,

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Then from the back of the church his wife sang,

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

The he invited the whole congregation and we sang,

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?
Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

The service was over and we all quietly filed out.

Posted by Ted at March 24, 2005 9:32 PM