Karant Jou

A Catholic Church in Virginia has opened an exhibit of Haitian art. The gallery is called Karant Jou, which is the Haitian Kreyol word for 40 Days and references Lent. I have started my preparation for Passover. My church is a non-liturgical church. It celebrates Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday. We follow the Western Calendar. So, our celebration will occur on April 12. But, there is no formal preparation for the day. The Eastern church is celebrating Pascha on April 19. Messianic Christians will celebrate Passover on April 9; they will begin their preparations after Purim, March 10.

In terms of my religion, I have been asked, "What are you?" The answer is always the same. I am a Christian. If people press, I tell them I am post-evangelical, but not emerging. Or, perhaps I am a happy enough evangelical who sees many flaws in her church, but doesn't believe there is a perfect church, particularly a perfect church that is geographically located in close proximity to her home. Those people who are non-Christians will generally drop out of the conversation at this time. Like the characters in The Memorandum, I am talking a nonsense language that only has meaning and value in the Christian community. I am not trying to be rude or purposely vague. I am part of a faith community because I believe that the Bible commands Christians to meet together and fellowship with other Christians. Still, at this point in my life, I really, truly don't clearly identify with any particular denomination. I have been disappointed in the Evangelical church, but I find the doctrine of the emerging church too loose to stand as a worldview upon which I can base my life. I lean toward a more traditional form of worship.

I do not claim to follow the ancient path. I don't know what path that is. I read the Bible, I read history. I read Rabbinic writings and try to understand the culture in Jerusalem at the time of Christ. I read the church fathers. I try to create traditions and a lifestyle in my home that reflect what I have learned. I think there is a lot of value in creating an environment in which my every act -- including what I eat, how I dress and how I spend my time -- becomes an act of worship. It means God is important all the time and not just on Sunday mornings. But, I suspect, my personal halakhah, that is the way I live out my faith will be in a state of flux for a long time. I don't like to change my lifestyle or habits on a whim. I want to know why I am doing what I am doing. So, karant jou, my own word for my own journey to Passover.

Currently, I celebrate Passover on the Wednesday before my church celebrates Christ's passion. This year these days happen to line up exactly. I will be celebrating Passover exactly when my Messianic friends are! Then, on Sunday morning I will go to church and celebrate First Fruits with my congregation. During the season leading up to Passover, I will remember my time as a prodigal and look forward to the hope I have in Christ. I prepare intellectually through the books I read.

This year, I am reading:

• A History of Christianity in Africa: From Antiquity to the Present by Elizabeth Isichei
• Great Lent: Journey to Pascha by Alexander Schmemann
• All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible by Dr. Herbert Lockyer
• Including People with Disabilities in Faith Communities: A Guide for Service Providers, Families, and Congregations by Erik W. Carter
• Meditations on a Theme: A Spiritual Journey by Anthony Bloom
• The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions by Arthur G. Bennett

I will also continue to read through the Proverbs, Psalms and the weekly Torah Portions.