Walking through Easter with the Egham Boiler RoomJ E D Butler - 19 Mar 2008

As I stepped back from the ‘prayer station’ I set up in our Easter prayer room I was a bit shocked." Writes the James Butler from the Egham Boiler Room Community , UK.  "The idea was to splash red paint over newspaper articles to symbolise the reconciliation Christ brings to all creation, but what was supposed to be a nice place to pray had turned into something from an overly graphic horror film. The splashes and drips of ‘blood’ freaked me out. Somehow you couldn’t make a ‘nice’ representation of reconciliation through Jesus’ blood. What did I think blood looked like? Perhaps I believed Jesus’ blood was somehow nicer, tasting of red wine maybe. Whatever I thought, suddenly I was face to face once again with a reminder of the true cost of the cross.

It’s all too easy to let Easter and the cross sail by without really noticing it.  Most of the things around us don’t cause us to stop and think; in fact, mostly everything around us tries to keep us from reflecting at all.  The long weekend has turned into a chance to do DIY, to eat lots of chocolate and enjoy not working for a couple more days.  This isn’t so within the Church’s calendar.  There is such a richness within Church tradition of really seeking God and journeying with Jesus through that agonising week which ultimately brought us peace.  It was with this in mind that we set up our prayer room, hoping to lead people into deeper participation in the story of the Passion.  During the week we were struck by a number of aspects of the Passion.

The Wilderness

“..a time is coming, and has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” John 16.32
For Jesus the Passion Week was a lonely week as he walked the path that only he could walk, and yet he knew the Father’s will and that the Father was with him. A wilderness wall in the prayer room helped people to reflect on God’s promises to us when we feel we are walking a lonely path; each promise hidden in a different box.  

The Journey

"Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced.  Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame."  Isaiah 50.7
Jesus calls us to take up our cross and follow him.  Connecting our two prayer rooms is a staircase up which were the Stations of the Cross.  Jamie commented that the physical connection between climbing the staircase and Jesus climbing the path to Golgotha really struck him.  We can share in Jesus’ journey as we take up our cross and as Paul said “share in his sufferings” (Phil 3.10)

Forgiveness and Reconciliation

"Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people."  John 18.14
The gospel writers like to highlight where someone has said something which is true and yet hasn’t realised the depth of their revelation.  This is certainly true in the case of Caiaphas the High Priest.  Yet, he reveals a great truth, the truth that Jesus died for all the people to bring forgiveness and reconciliation.  

The themes of forgiveness and reconciliation were reflected in how the prayer room unfolded during the week. I love the way that God uses different prayer weeks in such different ways. Owen commented at the beginning of the prayer week that he felt the week would be quite different and God was going to use it in a different way – he did.  The first couple of days felt quite hard, and a little disappointing; prayer slots were hard to fill and it felt difficult to focus on praying. However something changed on Tuesday night, and from Wednesday the week seemed to gain momentum. It was exciting to find on a number of occasions two different groups passionately praying in different rooms and to welcome a number of visitors from further a field.

The Joy

"After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord." John 20.20
People commented on different glimpses of the Cross throughout the week.  Whether it was the creative prayer stations, reflecting on the story or through interactions and prayers with different people, we engaged with Jesus’ passion.  Although the journey was lonely, excruciating and horrific like the blood splattered over newspaper articles, the conclusion is that Jesus’ passion brings great Joy.  Easter Sunday is about sharing in that overwhelming Joy.

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  Isaiah 53.5
They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn— for he has done it. Psalm 22.31
Don’t miss out

We had an encouraging week, and although locking up on the last evening I was exhausted and pleased to have made it through the week, I was also excited about what God was doing in and us and in our local community and how we had been able to participate in the Passion Story.
Don’t miss the opportunity to journey with Jesus this week, reflecting on and participating in his Passion.  I’d like to finish with the Anglican prayer we were led through every morning by different leaders from the local churches…

Almighty God,
whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain,
and entered not into glory before he was crucified:
mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross,
may find it none other than the way of life and peace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.