Easter In Madagascar

We had one of the most interesting Easter seasons this year. We went through the 10 Stations of the Cross every Friday evening during Lent. Then on Maundy Thursday we had a special session of renewal of vows for the evangelists, deacons and priests in the morning and then feet washing in the evening. We took turns to wash each others’ feet as Jesus did to his disciples’ and told them to do the same to others (John 13:14-15). It was a moment to remind us of the nature of our calling which is
servant hood; it was indeed a refreshing moment.

The Good Friday service caught me off guard. I knew that I was going for a mass that would take 3-hrs, from 12pm to 3pm but when I got into the church I realized that the altar was designed in a way that suggested there was someone who has died and his corpse is right there in the coffin! So I wondered who could have died, and why is the funeral service being done on Good Friday? Then it hit me, we are actually commemorating the death of Jesus! I laughed at myself. Later that evening we were invited to share God’s word at the military chapel. And that was the third place where I preached my message purely in Malagasy.