The War On Passiontide
Mark and I were bursting with pride as our little 2-year-old (there she is in the polka dot dress) joined her 4-year-old sister and the rest of the Immanuel Lutheran choir in singing "Hosanna, Loud Hosanna" this past Sunday. Our kids loved the service and the palms they were given. They've been playing with them and "decorating" with them all week.
Apparently there was something we didn't know about the 2,000-year-old tradition of waving palm branches in commemoration of Jesus' ride into Jerusalem, though. Thankfully, modern-day parents have figured it out: Palm Sunday is too dangerous for our fragile children in need of constant protection. Palms are being replaced with green paper in the shape of palm fronds.
You know what else is harming our children? "Aggressive parents" who forced the cancellation of a Colorado town's Easter Egg hunt. Apparently they were so out of control last year -- hopping over rope lines to secure eggs for their children -- that the town simply decided it wasn't worth the trouble.
Which reminds me of my final complaint about the current War on Easter. For liturgical Christians, Easter begins on Easter and lasts for seven full weeks. This season includes celebrations of Jesus' resurrection and ascension.
The week preceding Easter, which we're in now, is Holy Week. It includes the most solemn days of the Christian liturgical calendar, the Triduum. And prior to Holy Week is the season of Lent, a time of penitence, prayer and fasting.
Where am I going with all this? Well, our culture seems to have limited ability to understand that Easter egg hunts should not be taking place, as they increasingly do all over the country, during Lent or the Triduum. You have seven full weeks of Easter to hold as many Easter egg hunts and rolls as you want. There is no need to jump the gun and start celebrating Easter before Easter happens. Particularly considering the solemnity and fasting of the days prior to Easter.
One notable exception to this trend? You may be surprised: The White House. At least during the Obama presidency, the White House Easter Egg Roll has always taken place after the first day of Easter.
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Jun '10
Re: The War On Passiontide
The Byzantine solution:
Willow Sunday (in Eastern Christian Churches, Kiev, Ukraine)
http://pickleproject.blogspot.com/2010/04/willow-sunday-what-will-you-choose.html
Feb '11
Re: The War On Passiontide
I appreciate your bursting pride and thank you for sharing! In our case, the youngest princess was fascinated with her "piece of grass" and I spent the better part of Mass keeping watch over the inadvertent weapon. Perhaps I will remember a swiss army knife next year and modify the palm frond to remove the natural spike, and be able to actually fully listen and participate :)
Edited on April 3, 2012 at 7:09pmNov '11
Re: The War On Passiontide
I'll agree that palms being dangerous is absurd. When I read your post my thought was "Oh, for [expletive]'s sake."
The Easter Egg Roll cancellation was extreme, but made since considering how parents ruined it. That's more of a mark against obnoxious helicopter parents.
I don't know as this is really a War on Easter.
Sep '11
Re: The War On Passiontide
Pah!
Palm fronds are dangerous, and should only be permitted in the hands of trained, licensed professionals.
After prayer, our congregation greets one another in the name of Christ. During this time I slip forward to review the balance of the music with the pastor (will we substitute a closing hymn, rather than chant the Te Deum Laudemus, etc.). I then wade through the happy throng back to the organ console, to call the congregation back to attention with a brief fanfare.
A three-year-old princess barred my way, enthusiastically swashbuckling her palm frond with her toddler brother. I tripped over one (or perhaps both) of them, and nearly flattened a visitor.
Palm fronds don't trip organists; toddlers trip organists. But a world without palm fronds is a world where it's safer to walk....
Humbug!
Re: The War On Passiontide
Fred Cole:
I don't know as this is really a War on Easter. · 16 minutes ago
Well, among Lutherans we joke that the *real* war on Christmas is the way that the culture celebrates it prior to the actual season, destroying Advent in the process. So for Lutherans, a war on Easter is one where you start celebrating before the proper time to celebrate.
Re: The War On Passiontide
John Murdoch: Pah!
Palm fronds are dangerous, and should only be permitted in the hands of trained, licensed professionals.
After prayer, our congregation greets one another in the name of Christ. During this time I slip forward to review the balance of the music with the pastor (will we substitute a closing hymn, rather than chant the Te Deum Laudemus, etc.). I then wade through the happy throng back to the organ console, to call the congregation back to attention with a brief fanfare.
A three-year-old princess barred my way, enthusiastically swashbuckling her palm frond with her toddler brother. I tripped over one (or perhaps both) of them, and nearly flattened a visitor.
Palm fronds don't trip organists; toddlers trip organists. But a world without palm fronds is a world where it's safer to walk....
Humbug! · 16 minutes ago
I probably should have mentioned that our older child set her hair on fire during a Christmas Eve candlelight service. Yes, yes, I should have braided her hair. Yes, my husband should have been watching her better. There were errors all around. I just hope we didn't ruin the service for subsequent years.
Nov '11
Re: The War On Passiontide
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
Fred Cole:
I don't know as this is really a War on Easter. · 16 minutes ago
Well, among Lutherans we joke that the *real* war on Christmas is the way that the culture celebrates it prior to the actual season, destroying Advent in the process. So for Lutherans, a war on Easter is one where you start celebrating before the proper time to celebrate. · 3 minutes ago
Oh, ok. That makes more sense then.
If it helps, I don't celebrate it at all!
Re: The War On Passiontide
Wishing I could find a Chesterton quote I think I remember, about the conflict between the world's time pattern--party first, headache later--& the church's--fast first, then feast.
Jun '10
Re: The War On Passiontide
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
One notable exception to this trend? You may be surprised: The White House. At least during the Obama presidency, the White House Easter Egg Roll has always taken place after the first day of Easter.
It's quite an old tradition: John Philip Sousa wrote a tune about it called Easter Monday on the White House Lawn.
Easter Monday is a public holiday in many countries around the world.
Re: The War On Passiontide
Joseph Stanko
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
One notable exception to this trend? You may be surprised: The White House. At least during the Obama presidency, the White House Easter Egg Roll has always taken place after the first day of Easter.
It's quite an old tradition: John Philip Sousa wrote a tune about it called Easter Monday on the White House Lawn.
Easter Monday is a public holiday in many countries around the world. · 24 minutes ago
This has raised my estimation of the Presidency! I'm so glad that they keep this tradition properly. Even if I didn't win this year's lottery for tickets.
May '10
Re: The War On Passiontide
When palm fronds are outlawed, only outlaws will have palm fronds.
Apr '11
Re: The War On Passiontide
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
I probably should have mentioned that our older child set her hair on fire during a Christmas Eve candlelight service. Yes, yes, I should have braided her hair. Yes, my husband should have been watching her better. There were errors all around. I just hope we didn't ruin the service for subsequent years. · 3 hours ago
Personally, my family is generally thankful if we get through a Christmas without someone needing a trip to the Emergency Room.
Edited on April 3, 2012 at 10:21pmFeb '11
Re: The War On Passiontide
Last night, at his Scout troop meeting, my son (who goes to a Lutheran school) asked who else had this Friday off for Good Friday. One boy looked quizzical and asked "what's that?" This is especially sad, as Boy Scouts believe in God and country (in that order).
All the other boys go to public school and do not have Good Friday off from school, never mind Maundy Thursday.
Edited on April 3, 2012 at 11:14pmAug '10
Re: The War On Passiontide
No Caesar: Last night, at his Scout troop meeting, my son (who goes to a Lutheran school) asked who else had this Friday off for Good Friday. One boy looked quizzical and asked "what's that?" This is especially sad, as Boy Scouts believe in God and country (in that order).
All the other boys go to public school and do not have Good Friday off from school, never mind Maundy Thursday. · 2 minutes ago
I don't see anything "especially sad" about this-- unless, of course, only Christians are permitted to join the Boy Scouts.
Last I noticed-- and speaking as a Jew-- subscribing to a faith other than Christianity in no way prevents one from believing in G-d and country.
Nor does it require of one an encyclopedic knowledge of the religious traditions, practices, and holidays celebrated by others.
As another child expressed curiosity about Good Friday, I hope your son took the opportunity to share a part of his faith by politely explaining it, rather than merely dismissing the question and thus increasing the difference and distance between them.
Edited on April 4, 2012 at 12:03amRe: The War On Passiontide
Shoshanna
No Caesar: Last night, at his Scout troop meeting, my son (who goes to a Lutheran school) asked who else had this Friday off for Good Friday. One boy looked quizzical and asked "what's that?" This is especially sad, as Boy Scouts believe in God and country (in that order).
All the other boys go to public school and do not have Good Friday off from school, never mind Maundy Thursday. · 2 minutes ago
I don't see anything "especially sad" about this-- unless, of course, only Christians are permitted to join the Boy Scouts.
Last I noticed-- and speaking as a Jew-- subscribing to a faith other than Christianity in no way prevents one from believing in G-d and country.
Nor does it require of one an encyclopedic knowledge of the religious traditions, practices, and holidays celebrated by others.
I guess it would depend on the age of the child and their religion, but knowing what Good Friday is should *hardly* count as "encyclopedic knowledge," right?
Feb '11
Re: The War On Passiontide
Shoshanna
I don't see anything "especially sad" about this-- unless, of course, only Christians are permitted to join the Boy Scouts.
Last I noticed-- and speaking as a Jew-- subscribing to a faith other than Christianity in no way prevents one from believing in G-d and country.
Nor does it require of one an encyclopedic knowledge of the religious traditions, practices, and holidays celebrated by others.
Last I noticed -- and speaking as a middle-aged American -- there's a HUGE difference between cultural literacy and religous observance.
Well I guess that's the times in which we live. It's not sad for you that what is arguably the penultimate Christian holy day is completely unknown to an average boy in modern America. That instead you try for cheap shots intimating Christian persecution and sophomoric comments about the Boy Scouts. And yes, cultural literacy in our ostensibly Judeo-Christian society includes knowing the major Jewish holy days. (And one should know the Muslim ones too).
Edited on April 4, 2012 at 1:33am