WARNING: this part of the post will be a little graphic. Continue with discernment.
That Thursday a bunch of us went to Mt. Gerezim and witnessed about 30-40 sheep being sacrificed. They have a long trough dug into the ground with a pit at the end which is under a grate. The sheep are lined up on either side of the trough and held there by the men who would eventually take their lives. All the Samaritans involved in this are wearing white "suits" resembling a astronaut's outfit. The priests have red caps on and
robes of different colors. They are all gathered around down there surrounding the trough, while the outsiders (us) are up in the stands that overlook the area, sitting and waiting for the "show". The Samaritans sang a lot of songs, getting really excited. Suddenly the songs got intense and they all bent over and bound their sheep, who was now laying on its side with it's legs tied together. Quickly, more quickly than i knew or could have even seen because of the sea of white blocking our view, the sheep's throats had been slit, and some were still kicking around. The men were smearing blood on their foreheads and kissing each other on the cheeks. I stood above on the bleachers for a while before I decided to head down and get a closer look. As soon as I walked through the gate, you could smell it--dead animals and smoking sheep guts that were on the grate. I watched as some men were beginning to shear their dead sheep. Others had already moved on to cutting it open and cleaning out the insides with bare hands. And they were glad for it. They were throwing the insides on the grate. There was blood on the ground everywhere. People were crammed in all around trying to see, trying to congratulate each other. The smell was overwhelming. I felt a sudden movement from in front of me as a man stepped 
back. He was getting out of the way of the Samaritan passing by with a sheep on a large wooden skewer. I followed him to one of the 6 fire pits where they were already hanging the skins. As I returned to the altar and trough, I saw the man standing on the grate, throwing salt on the sheep guts. The place was so busy, and all the Samaritans were joyful, for this was there day of sacrificing the pascal lamb.I had mixed emotions about that night. In some ways it was neat to see what it might have been like when the Jews sacrificed lambs at passover. On the other hand, it was saddening to see, knowing that they did it all in vain, and do so every year. The Samaritans only accept the Pentateuch: Genesis-Deuteronomy. They don't even believe the rest of the Old Testament. They are a very secluded group of people, with their own language, and they are barely surviving. Only 750 of them are left: in Gerezim and near Tel Aviv.
GOOD FRIDAY
Friday morning at 9am we began setting up for our triclineum passover meal. It was an awesome night. We reclined (on mattresses) at low tables with 1st-century-style oil lamps and food. We had servants wash our feet upon entering, and serve us the food. Everything we ate, we ate with flat bread as our utensil. We dressed like 1st century folk, in togas and barefooted. It was neat to
experience something closer to what Jesus might have experienced in his time, with his disciples. Dr. Wright (our headmaster, professor, etc.) talked with us about what the last supper might have been like, and how things might have happened amongst the disciples. They would have sat in a "U" shape, with Jesus in the host's seat. (2nd from the end on the left). I can just picture John to his right, reclining on Jesus' bosom, as the gospel of John tells us.It would have been strange for the disciples to eat their passover meal on Thursday night; that was early. But the Gospel of John has the events lined up so that Jesus is breathing his last as the Pascal lambs are being slaughtered. That has a new meaning and image now, doesn't it?
EASTER SUNDAY
I woke up at 5:15am on Sunday, just to go with friends to the Garden tomb and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher (the real site of calvary and the tomb). We arrived at the Garden tomb at 6:40am. the service had already started. It was a very western, contemporary, up-beat, cheesy service. Oh well--I expected that. Then we headed to the Holy Sepulcher at 7:30 and saw the Roman Catholic Church enter in procession into the
Church. . As we listened to the Latin songs, the police cleared a path behind us to make way for the Coptic Church to process in. They walked over on the side, and set up for their Palm Sunday service, which they would hold at the same time as the Catholic Easter service. That moment was very strange and very sad for me. How divided the Church has become is an atrocity. What kind of witness to the world is that? And the place that division is shown most is in the room in which I was standing, in the "Holy City" in the "Holy Land" where people from different faiths cross paths with one another on a daily basis. What would Jesus think of this sight? Two different holidays, just because we don't like each other and don't want to celebrate on the same day. What a shame!Soon after, I left and walked to the Western Wall, where the Jews were supposed to do the priestly blessing. I'm sure they did, but I had to leave, in order t walk to Church in time. I got to Christ Church just before 9:30 after changing my route through the Old City numerous times due to the parade of priests with bands of drums coming down the streets. Christ Church is an Anglican Church that I have attended a few times (once for Sunday service and for Good Friday). I like the kind of service they have. Because it's Anglican, there is liturgy. Yet they mix that with contemporary as well as Jewish style music. Matt was actually leading half of the worship on Easter, which is part of the reason I went there. The sermon was good--He emphasized the distinction between Christ dealing with sin on the cross and dealing with death through the resurrection, and how they go hand in hand. Then he dealt with how the resurrection should be played out in every day of our lives. Acts 10:34-43, 1 Corintains 15:1-10, and Hebrews 2:14-15 were used in the sermon.
EASTER WEEK, TAKE 2
So now I sit here, tired as anything, about to work on a paper and then prepare to go to Jordon for 4 days. Our bus leaves tomorrow at 6am. We will miss the Orthodox celebration of Easter here in Israel, which is disappointing, ..but what is that to me? Christ was raised and he lives!
Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne,
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.
Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing,
who died, and rose on high,
who died, eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.
Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
those wounds, yet visible above,
in beauty glorified.
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
For thou hast died for me;
thy praise and glory shall not fail
throughout eternity.
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