Yesterday was Palm Sunday. The reading of the Passion of Christ according to Matthew. (Easter Sunday will be John.) As Holy week began yesterday, I could see Passion in my head as it was read in my church. I lent a small part of my ear to the congregation which has various responses in the version we read and I know, truly, in my heart, that people need to SEE this. As with anything we read aloud over and over, the tendency to become complacent, or read/speak by rote is the natural path. Just listen to a group of kids recite the Pledge of Allegiance or even people at church recite the Our Father. It's like they forget what the words actually say.
This week is a long one for me in church, but not in a bad way. I am singing Holy Thursday service (the washing of the feet and the Last Supper), again on Holy Friday (the Veneration of the Cross), and then again on Easter Sunday. My hope is to not get distracted while I'm singing because I find the whole aspect of these moments of the story to be spellbinding. So many times in the last 18 months, particularly when I'm cantoring, I find myself wondering how the disciples reacted during the offering of the bread and wine/body and blood. Then I'm like, "Whoops! Sing girl!" Maybe it's because I'm up so close to the alter, the body and blood, but I seriously get a little lost in the ceremony and in thought.
But now begins a renewed effort to bring Passion to the stage in 2012. The venue is once again top priority in my mind. Once that is secured, advertising and group sales can begin. I am however, beginning to rethink my former position on NOT having a church involved. I definitely want to do it in a church, but now I'm wondering if having the "blessing" of the Catholic Church, the Missouri Lutheran Synod, the Methodists, etc, wouldn't be optimal. I don't want to propogate doctrine, and that's where I've felt the problem lies. With the whole script taken from the Bible, I don't know how organized religion can argue doctrine, but that's been my fear. And maybe that's been my problem - I'm operating from a place of fear. Also, that I don't want to evangelize. I want people to see the work, see the story, and decide on their own how it affects them. It's only when we've reached the age of reason that we begin to question our faith and really reflect on how it pertains to us, if we truly believe in the doctrine of one church or another (or not a church at all - For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. ... Matthew 18:20) and if we can actually live what we believe. And even if someone doesn't believe, that's OK too.
The relevance of Passion can still be seen today. Who hasn't witnessed the love of a mother for a child? Been a part of a betrayal? Seen the justice system be swayed the wrong way and an innocent dies for uncommitted sins? Watched violence unfold and felt unable to do anything about it? THESE are the human instances where I think Passion will resonate.
Perhaps what I'm really coming to is a COMMUNITY effort to produce Passion. People of different faiths, churches whose doctrine is Bible based. Whatever and however this comes to fruition, it will be with the help of many, not just those who do theatre, not just those within my church group, not only those who believe in the story of Christ. But the key word is many: many hands make light work.
I hope this Holy Week is one of new discoveries for me, not just within my faith, but for Passion, the project. I just need to keep my eyes and ears open for what comes next.
This week is a long one for me in church, but not in a bad way. I am singing Holy Thursday service (the washing of the feet and the Last Supper), again on Holy Friday (the Veneration of the Cross), and then again on Easter Sunday. My hope is to not get distracted while I'm singing because I find the whole aspect of these moments of the story to be spellbinding. So many times in the last 18 months, particularly when I'm cantoring, I find myself wondering how the disciples reacted during the offering of the bread and wine/body and blood. Then I'm like, "Whoops! Sing girl!" Maybe it's because I'm up so close to the alter, the body and blood, but I seriously get a little lost in the ceremony and in thought.
But now begins a renewed effort to bring Passion to the stage in 2012. The venue is once again top priority in my mind. Once that is secured, advertising and group sales can begin. I am however, beginning to rethink my former position on NOT having a church involved. I definitely want to do it in a church, but now I'm wondering if having the "blessing" of the Catholic Church, the Missouri Lutheran Synod, the Methodists, etc, wouldn't be optimal. I don't want to propogate doctrine, and that's where I've felt the problem lies. With the whole script taken from the Bible, I don't know how organized religion can argue doctrine, but that's been my fear. And maybe that's been my problem - I'm operating from a place of fear. Also, that I don't want to evangelize. I want people to see the work, see the story, and decide on their own how it affects them. It's only when we've reached the age of reason that we begin to question our faith and really reflect on how it pertains to us, if we truly believe in the doctrine of one church or another (or not a church at all - For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. ... Matthew 18:20) and if we can actually live what we believe. And even if someone doesn't believe, that's OK too.
The relevance of Passion can still be seen today. Who hasn't witnessed the love of a mother for a child? Been a part of a betrayal? Seen the justice system be swayed the wrong way and an innocent dies for uncommitted sins? Watched violence unfold and felt unable to do anything about it? THESE are the human instances where I think Passion will resonate.
Perhaps what I'm really coming to is a COMMUNITY effort to produce Passion. People of different faiths, churches whose doctrine is Bible based. Whatever and however this comes to fruition, it will be with the help of many, not just those who do theatre, not just those within my church group, not only those who believe in the story of Christ. But the key word is many: many hands make light work.
I hope this Holy Week is one of new discoveries for me, not just within my faith, but for Passion, the project. I just need to keep my eyes and ears open for what comes next.
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