Happy Easter !!!

Hi all, Easter Sunday has just passed...
But the Easter period is not over yet.., you can tell when you go to church on Sunday, and at the end of the mass, the priest still sings the ending blessing with the tail ... Alleluia.., alleluia.., alleluia..
And we answer with Syukur kepada Allah, Alleluia.., alleluia.., alleluia...
Yah semacam itulah..
As long as the priest still do that, it is still an Easter Sunday, or Sunday in the Easter period.
If you observe the "Malaikat Tuhan" prayer (Angelus), which actually should be said every 6AM in the morning, 12 noon, and 6PM in the evening, than you will say the prayer a bit different, since there are two version of Angelus, one version for masa biasa, and another version for the Easter period.
I don't know how long this Easter period lasts..., probably until Kenaikan Tuhan (Ascension Day of Jesus Christ) which is 40 days from Easter Sunday, and this time it will fall on 5 May 2005, or probably until Pentekosta (turunnya roh kudus, lidah api, ke atas para murid), 50 days from Easter Sunday, and this time it will fall on 15 May 2005. What I know is that after Pentekosta, than the Easter period would definitely officially ends.


I love the Easter season...
I do..., it starts 40 days (excluding Sunday) from the Easter Sunday, on the seventh Wednesday before the Easter Sunday, called the Ash Wednesday.., on this day I rebuke myself, take the palm leave from my cross and give it to the church to be burned to be ashes (or I burned it myself in front of my room, late late at night, careful not to wake my neighbours or create too much smoke.. :D..). On Ash Wednesday morning, I go to church. Ashes will be put on my forehead and I will carry it whole day, as a sign of sorrow for sin and rebuttal of myself. Ash Wednesday also mark the beginning of the 40 days Lent season (excluding Sunday) where like Jesus, we try to fast (or at least rebuke and deny myself) for 40 days penintential period of fasting and praying, like Jesus did in the desert.
After 40 excruciating days (try it sometimes it is worse than plain fasting. Example, you're a guest and they serve you two snacks, one you love, one you hate, just as you reach for the snack you love, this thought creeps in that this is the Lent season and you have to restrain yourself, deny you the things you like, so you're taking the snack you hate instead, and it tastes so bad that you wish you just don't eat any..., and still you have to. Some days you decided to fast..., and so you fast.., but every now and then you want something so badly that you decide to eat.., it's okay.., there''s no strict rules in Catholic fasting, but in every bite you taste guilt... haha... bener2 deh... In the past, the rule were strict though, a severe fast was prescribed: only one full meal a day was allowed, and meat, fish, eggs, and milk products were forbidden. hehe.., i'll try this next year.., wahh..., ga janji deh yah..., but if i have the strength, i'll try it.

And then the Palm Sunday comes..
This is to commemorate the triumphant Jesus entry to Jerusalem (where he ultimately will face death) on a donkey.. All of the statues and crosses in the church is covered with purple fabric (until Good Friday). This day Jesus is hail by many Jerusalemian..., with palm leaves and branches spread on the ground before Jesus passed... This Palm Sunday before going to church I go to my neighbour kos2an with scissor, ready to steal a branch in front of the kos2an owner's house, when he popped to my view!!! And dengan malu2 I ask her for a branch.. :D .. untungnya dia ngerti, mau ke greja yah.., so my stealing of the palm branch went smoothly.. :D ... (tahun lalu aku motong daun palma di pembatas jalan thamrin apa sudirman gitu..., hihih..., malu deh pokoknya, untung sama Bambang nyolong daunnya, tepatnya dia yang motong hihihihihi) And then go to church and re-enact Jesus entry to Jerusalem. This Palm Sunday signals the upcoming ending of the Lent season and the beginning of the Holy Week. On the Thursday, Jesus will be catch..!

Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday...,
is called Kamis Putih in Indonesia, and we usually wear white this day. Holy Thursday re-enact Jesus Last Supper with his disciples, with the washing of the feet by Jesus. Re-enacted by priests by washing the feet of 12 ordinary people. In the past, they're always men, but nowadays, women (usually mothers) are also called to be feet-washed. Holy Thursday is the celebration of the Passover, with Jesus being the Passover victim. Holy Thursday marks the beginning of the Holy Triuum (Tri Hari Suci). The mass begins in the evening, because the passover began at sundown, commemorating Our Lord's institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. Sadness strikes me everytime the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament began..., the priests leaves without the closing songs..., the atmosphere is so sad and solemn.., almost like going melayat to lelayu (in a sense, it is)... After the mass, ada tuguran sampai jam 12 malem.., the idea is to be like Jesus disciples, who stays with him, while He prayed in Getsemani, before Judas came with the priests to arrest Him.

Good Friday
After being arrested at night, Jesus' ordeal begins.., He was questioned by the priests and kept captive. On Friday morning, he was given to Pontius Pilatus, who eventually wash his hands on His case. This day He was scorned, he endured crucifixion, and then on 15:00 He died. All fall to knees... Good Friday service is very moving for me..., the priests comes to the church, without any opening songs.., they are not greeted.., they just comes in in silence.., and then in front of the altar they fall, not on their knee, but laying face down on the floor.. facing the cross, in an act of penitence and sadness to the cross, which is covered in purple fabric... It is so heartbreaking for me..., a sad moment indeed..., and a moment where you promise to yourself, this year I'd stay true to Him.. The songs are sad.., passio is sung.., the tunes are sad, the lyrics means a lot to me... At the end of the service..., the priests also goes briskly, without a closing song. Jesus has died, and burried..., all seems to end..., this is the ultimate low point..

Easter Eve
The mass starts very late, close to dini hari.. This is to commemorate the rise of Jesus Christ. This is a triumphant day, where Jesus has defeat death..
I like the mass on Easter Eve, because of its Easter chants.., which is so beautiful to my ear and carves its way into my heart, it starts with the Easter chants to light the candle.., signalling the rise of Christ, and then the seventh day creation of earth is sung..., bible is read, and then before the baptism rejuvenation, we summon all the saints, with Litani Orang Kudus..., I really like this part, the song is very solemn and touching, all the saints is called by name one by one, to come and pray with us... :D and then the alleluia songs.. wahh.., so triumphant.., and this is the first time the church bells is struck again (last time was in Holy Thursday)... :D ... and we have been saved..., let us follow Him that has showed us the way.., He's been there and back..., and so I try to follow, Jesus give us strength...

:D -rea-