The Burr in the Burgh

Our church, together with a couple of neighboring Lutheran congregations, held a Tre Ore ("three hour") service today.

Why a church service three hours long? It is a custom to wait with Jesus from noon til three on Good Friday because it was during those hours that darkness covered the earth while Jesus hung dying.

He was actually on the cross for six hours, beginning at about 9 a.m. His "trial," you see, had taken place over night and in the wee hours of the morning.

But at noon, the sun hid it's face until our Lord expired at about 3 p.m. Even the earth and stars could not bear the horror of Christ's death.

The service at Redeemer was exhausting, to be sure, but quite wonderful. The music, the liturgy, the ceremonies, the texts, everything was amazingly powerful.