Passion Week

"But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." I Corinthians 15:13-14,19

This week my church puts on a big production--The Lafayette Passion Play--at a theatre downtown. This year's new script focuses on the time between the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ through the eyes of the disciples. The church choir is most of the "extras" in crowd scenes between their musical numbers. We have a pit orchestra, and I'm playing the piano with the orchestra as well as for various scene changes. In fact, our church music guy Titus Curtis wrote some transition music so I was busy Monday trying to transcribe it so I could replay what he'd created! (Sibelius is a really cool music program for that.) The last two nights (Monday and Tuesday) I've been downtown at the Long Center in rehearsals until at least 10:00 p.m., so it's going to be a long week! I haven't been home (except to change clothes) until 10:30 each night. Tonight is the dress rehearsal and then we have 3 performances--Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. (Thankfully we don't have school on Friday, though!) There are a lot of new elements this year--new music, new script, the paralytic coming in "through the roof," but overall I think it's been coming together.

I have noticed, though, that in the midst of "productions," it's easy for me to lose focus on the big picture. Sunday afternoon I watched Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" again to be reminded of what Jesus went through on His way to the cross. Even then it's easy to get caught up in the movie elements and not realize that this actually happened! Jesus died on the cross--for ME! I've also been trying to read through the gospel accounts this week to again be reminded of what Jesus did for me. It's so easy to get caught up in the story, though, and not realize the truth of how important this sacrifice was. Jesus was beaten, bleeding, and bore the sins of the whole world--so we could have fellowship with Him and gain direct access to His throne room and live forever with Him in heaven. I pray we are able to communicate that effectively this week.