A Mom Moment
Mother Ruth Longenecker sowing seeds in Florida
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On Good Friday, my mother, busy in the house and garden, would cease her labors from noon to 3:00 p.m, and sit with an open Bible for a quiet time of reflection. She probably read these words from Luke 23:44-46
44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
When I began blogging, I referred to her practice in a post titled Seven Easter Memories.
Excerpt from “This Time Being – after Auden” ~ Maren Tirabassi
Some scales of joy
Happy Easter . . . Peaceful Passover!
Based on on the lunar calendar, the dates of Good Friday and the first day of Passover coincide this year, an astral metaphor inherent in the expression, “the Judeo-Christian tradition.”
Symbolism of the passion flower explained here.
Thoughts for the season welcome here . . .
If only remembering and honouring this tragic and cruel event would bring an end to wars and suffering to mankind! I am sure that is what Jesus Christ would have wanted, not the chocolate eggs.
Amen to that, Fatima. The message still lives in spite of man’s cruelty. Thanks for shining as the first commenter today. Happy Easter!
Happy Easter to you and your family. 💖
🙂
The clock has just hit 12.00 midday as I finished listening to the choir Marian which was beautiful! Our Lord did not die in vain … always arising. It’s an historical fact that as He died and was delivered there were earthquakes around the world.
Thank you for your photos of your Mom and the scriptures from Luke
May you and family have a blessed Easter.
And now you’re heading toward evening in the southern hemisphere. I’m glad the melody of Easter struck a chord in your heart. Thanks for the reminder too that suffering and triumph co-exist at times. I appreciate all this, Susan!
Gbh
Good morning, Marian. I can see how Good Friday holds a strong place in your heart and memories. I know you will be with your family, and even through the sorrow, there will be joy and laughter (especially with the kids).
This year Passover begins on Friday night, the night of Good Friday, not Easter Day–to make it clear. Well, you know we’re not religious, but we’ll be having our big family dinner at the end of the holiday–because that’s the way it works with everyone’s schedules. 🙂
Yes, I am aware that Friday night (not Sunday) begins the celebration of Passover in the Jewish faith, so I changed the text to reflect that. Thanks for pointing that out, Merril!
I expect that next week your family will gather for your usual feast, maybe at your house. I’ll look forward to photos of delectable dishes on your blog and Facebook. 😀
🙂
I love your mother’s Good Friday ritual, Marian. Thank you for this lovely post. Wishing you and your family a blessed Easter.
Easter blessings to you too, which I hope you can celebrate with family, Jill!
I was in church choir as a child and I remember singing this hymn. What confused me as a child was how death could sting. I had this imagine of a death as a mosquito, so I figured that all we needed was some OFF and we’d be good. Much about my early church experiences baffled little me. Happy Easter, Marian.
Oh, you’re so funny, Ally. I remember singing “Precious Name” in a hymn, which sounded to me like “Precious Ann.” Who was Precious Ann? I wondered.
Some southern ladies are called “Precious,” In fact, I know one. And you do too, judging from your post today – ha ha!
When I was a child (9 to 11 at least) I made my own altar in my bedroom (much to my parents’ worry) and prayed in front of it often. The story of Jesus hit me so hard – I couldn’t imagine such cruelty and torture, such display of non-empathy and non-compassion from those who murdered Jesus. I grappled with it for years. Now, I tend to focus on the light and joy that Jesus (and prophets of every religion) spread. Happy Passover. Happy Easter. Happy Spring to us all.
After the cruelty came the resurrection, which I focus on: light and joy after Jesus’ suffering.
From an early age, your have nurtured your spiritual side, expressed in the empathy and compassion I detect in your writing. Humor too, lots of that! Thanks, Pam.
To light, love. joy, Marian. <3
🤗
What a lovely hymn, Marian. And how wonderful to learn of your mother’s Good Friday ritual. What a great way to remember what occurred on that day long ago. I’m grateful for the joy of Resurrection Sunday! May you have a joyous Easter! He is risen!
Thanks for the good wishes, L. Marie. I just visited your blog this morning and got an answer to a question I’ve been pondering. A joyous Easter to you and your family! 🙂
The picture of your mother with her Bible touched me, Marian. I’ve been going through boxes of my mother’s writings, photos, and notes. Two of her old Bibles are in the boxes. She has new ones on her table next to her chair now. The quiet hours of reading and reflection performed by the faithful hold the world together by connecting to the glorious world we cannot see. Happy Easter.
When we had Aunt Ruthie’s sale, all of the Bibles from my parents’ and her house were stacked in the living room. Apparently, this generation hadn’t heard of re-binding. A few, the German illuminated Bibles, were donated to the Young Center in Elizabethtown. Another special one stayed in the family.
Your last statement is profound: We do have a wonderful spiritual heritage and a future bright with the hope of glory and resurrection.
P. S. I’m glad you’re getting a head start on curating your mother’s things. It’s a rite of passage for this stage of life, and perhaps can be looked at as one dimension of jubilacion.
Marian — I so enjoyed the photo that captured your mother’s Good Friday practice. She was such a sweet woman. She was still alive when I first started following your blog, and I especially enjoyed posts that were about her, or included her.
Mother-daughter relationships, especally ones that are positive, uplifting, constructive, and healing, are like a fingerprint in cement — permanent.
I echo Pam’s sentiment: “Happy Passover. Happy Easter. Happy Spring to us all.”
You are a master of metaphor, Laurie. I love your lines: Mother-daughter relationships, especially ones that are positive, uplifting, constructive, and healing, are like a fingerprint in cement — permanent.
Thank you too for the good wishes!
What wonderful memories you have shared with us. Have a blessed Easter, making more memories with your children and grandchildren. The picture of your dear mom reading her bible is precious.
I would imagine Easter weekend is festive in Spain. Plus, you have memories of special times with your Canadian family. Thank you for checking in here again. Have a blessed Easter!
Thank you for the “Scales of Joy” . I needed those hallelujahs right now as we plan a memorial service here in Winnipeg for my brother who passed away unexpectedly on April 3. They helped me get over some of the heaviness of losing a sibling for the first time and planning the forever farewells.
I’m glad the “Scales of Joy” brought comfort in this time of sorrow. I’ve read some of your memories on a recent post, I think. As you know, my brother died last May, still leaving a hole in our hearts. Thank God for the blessed resurrection.
And thank you for taking time to post here, Elfrieda!
The memory of your mother meditating through the crucial hours on Good Friday are still a practice among most Amish, I believe, at least that is what Lovina Eicher, the Amish columnist we have worked with, always shares of their practices.
This weekend we’re traveling to be with my mother and while we won’t do anything special for Good Friday because as she says “she wouldn’t hear anything anyway’ [at church], I will treasure this Easter because we have not been with her for this weekend for quite awhile. I recall when Dad died March 26, a week before Easter in 2006, we had memorial services later that week, and then by Easter Sunday we all had to go back home, but treasured the fact that Dad was not lying in a nursing home but celebrating in heaven: without his cane. I probably shared that before. I do hope you have a wonderful and meaningful Easter. Blessings to your family–and I feel fortunate, too, going to eat at a nephew’s house and all I have to bring is the mac and cheese!
How interesting to hear that the Amish still practice quiet reflection during the dark hours between noon and 3:00. I remember Mother doing that when we were children, but I don’t think she continued it as she grew older.
I sense you feel more freedom this Easter season, gathering with family you haven’t seen in a while. You don’t have to be at work on Monday: Has it sunk in yet?
The last time I asked my daughter what I should bring to the Easter feast she didn’t know. Maybe I’ll tell her to expect napkins and paper-ware for dessert from me. Her husband and kids like to cook/bake.
You have such wonderful family memories Marian. The one of your mom with bible is so poignant. It’s a busy weekend for me with Passover and Easter colliding once again, lol. Lots of places to be. Wishing you a Happy Easter. 🙂
Debby, I think you have a dual celebration of Easter and the beginning of Passover, which I may have read about in Twenty Years After I Do. Enjoy all the festivities. and thanks for the good wishes! 😎
Thank you Marian. 🙂
Happy Easter, Marian. Unlike many people I know (especially the ones with children – in Belgium parents hide white chocolate, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate eggs in the house when it rains or in the yard when the weather is nice), Mark and I won’t celebrate anything or cook anything special or get any treats or won’t have family or friends around. Yet, I’ll still be happy to relax, enjoy extra doggy time, and put work aside for a couple of days.
The Belgian custom sounds a lot like the American one except that kids here usually hunt for eggs and then expect to find chocolate in their Easter baskets. I gave Cliff what was labeled as Belgian chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
Your Easter weekend plans sounds a lot like mine, especially the part about putting work aside for a few days. 🙂
Lovely post, Marian. Have a Happy Easter!!
It’s great to have your support, Joan. Happy Easter to you and Bill! 🙂
I’m with Fatima.
I love how your mom held to her time for spiritual reflections as the most important thing. It’s Good Friday as I respond to your piece. I feel the gravity of that day–and this day in our world. Thank you for the beautiful photos and images and for bringing us back to the religious connections that, from my perspective, extend in many directions. Humans have never needed the teachings of love more. If we could only remember.
Divine love is the answer, and every time we affirm that, positive energy radiates into the world. The photo of Mother wasn’t actually taken on Good Friday, but I caught her reading scripture as she did every morning. It just seemed to fit here.
Thanks for reading and commenting ~ and reading other comments. I do the same on your posts. That way we have a conversation, virtual and real.
Enjoy this weekend in your own special way, Elaine. I do hope you are feeling more in tune with your hearing ability every day! 🙂
Happy Easter!
Easter blessings to you TOO! 🙂
So lovely to see your memories . For me Easter is the joy of spring and the promise of a summer to come .
Cherryx
Happy spring . . . and rejoice in the coming of warmer weather! You are a dear, Cherry!
Wonderful memories!
Yes, indeed. Thank you, Lady Fi!
Beautiful hymn! I love it! I love Easter! Christ arose! Alleluia! Thanks, Marian for the beautiful tribute!
When we were in Ukraine in April (2011) on Easter morning, I learned 3 Russian words for “He is Risen.” And then the person I gave the greeting to, said in response: “He is Risen indeed.” Glorious!
I’m glad you enjoyed this, Anita!
He is Risen indeed!
🙂
Christ the Lord is risen today, my favourite Easter hymn. Happy Easter Marian!
Mine too, obviously. Thanks for noticing, Jenn! 😀