REFLECTION ON HOLY WEEK, PASSOVER AND AIR STRIKES
by Allan R. Andrews
American Reporter Correspondent

The two, incidentally, are linked as intimately as Moses and Jesus.

Americans, no matter what their religious preference -- as the social scientists label it - see constant reminders this week that something atypical is going on in the nation's Christian churches and in its synagogues as well.

This year Passover and the prevalent Christian celebration of Maundy Thursday coincided on April 1 (for Jews, Passover began at sundown the evening of March 31 with a special supper called a Seder; Orthodox Christians celebrate Holy Week one week after most Western Christian churches).

My own suburban Episcopal church is conducting no fewer than four services this week, not counting the three Easter Sunday services. In addition, several members of my church will attend an afternoon ecumenical Good Friday service at the Lutheran Church in the same town, and several others will have devoted time to an all-night prayer vigil before the dawn of Good Friday.

Even the cynics, agnostics and atheists among us are reminded that this is the week Christians remember the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The week contains special days such as Good Friday and Maundy Thursday. Devout Christians, in fact, designate each day as a day of some special devotion.

Near the subway station where I come up to the street again after my train ride enroute to work, the usual array of street musicians, homeless, and panhandlers had a new entourage among them this week. Well-dressed, handsome business people -- young professionals one would judge -- stood smiling and handing out circulars.

No pizza coupons or free samples of a new health food this week; no ads for Chinese restaurants or special banking services; instead, these young adults distributed invitations to St. Patrick's in The City, the Roman Catholic church just a few blocks from the White House.

The brochure exclaims, "Forgiveness - The Open Door to Miracles," and its intention is stated clearly in the sub-title: "An invitation for all active and inactive Catholics to pre-Easter Confessions."

St. Patrick's advertises itself as "The Oldest Catholic Parish in the Federal City," and its brochure notes that "12 Confessors hearing in various languages will be available."

Furthermore, for the long-away-from-church crowd, the brochure urges, "Nervous about confessing? A priest will guide you through."

Holy Week comes at the end of Lent, the season of the Christian church given to repentance and penitence. Those are not everyday words for Americans. For fun, I ran those two words through the Washington Post's online search engine and turned up two book reviews in the past 14 days.

I remember reading that President Abraham Lincoln often called for days of national repentance. I can't imagine such a call being issued in this era, but Holy Week draws many Christians to the remembrance of their deliverer.

For Jews, Passover provides a reminder of ancient Israel's bondage to Egypt. The fleeing Israelites were forced to bake bread without leaven. Eating unleavened bread has since ancient times become a symbol of the Jewish nation's deliverance from slavery. Passover reminds Jews that God remains their deliverer.

An alien visitor to earth this week would get the impression something important is going on in the world. Without a doubt, this is the most religiously active week of the year, though one would hardly know it from reading the news. Confession, repentance, penitence and deliverance simply don't make good headlines.

And now the news from Brussels.

According to the AP, "NATO has said it would refuse to suspend air strikes during upcoming Easter celebrations.

"This would be a blank check for Milosevic to continue the killing," said German Gen. Klaus Naumann, chairman of NATO's military committee.

With such logic, who needs repentance and remembrance?

The American Reporter Copyright 1999 by Joe Shea . All Rights Reserved.

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Allan R. Andrews can be reached at allan.andrews@reporters.net