Christmas and Easter

I like both Christmas and Easter. Christmas in the darkest time of the year here in the North, when all life of nature has withdrawn into invisibility; at the same time Christmas celebration is outwardly rich. During Easter nature is waking up again, together with the sun. But the inner side of Easter is much, much larger than meets the eye!

My Congregation meets in the modest surroundings, an old residential building, renovated to chapel. No matter how humble a place might be, in The Act of Consecration the roof is lifted up to heavens and the great invisible world is present. Much of the same it must have been the case in that stable where baby Jesus was born. A star was shining like candles on the altar. We hear the Good News from the realm of angels. Shepherds honored the child (shepherd=pastor) and the Magi brought their gifts; as the cup of gold is elevated and the smoke of insence mixed with Myrrh is rising. Ultimately, we will experience Easter and Pentecost as well, through Transsubstantiation and Communion!
Even the destiny of Earth as a whole is concentrated in eternal present at this threshold of two worlds, from the creation to the prophecy of future: God said: "Let there be light" and candles are lighted in the beginning of the Service; Seven days of Genesis - seven golden lampstands of Revelation - seven candles on the altar.

For over a decade it has been a pleasure for me to cook a special Christmas dinner with plenty of courses, first for me and my mother and brother, nowadays for me and my partner. The food I make, is always enough for the whole week! I don't make many traditional Finnish Christmas dishes - I prefer creating my own traditions. For the dinner we dress up smartly.
In Finland presents are unwrapped on Christmas Eve. By the way, did you know Santa Claus lives in Lappland, Finland - not North Pole!? And reindeers that fly - what a ridiculous idea! But they taste good: one of my Christmas courses is made of reindeer meat.

In the midnight before Christmas day we go to Church; it's the only time of the year when my partner is with me (that's just because he doesn't want to get up early on Sunday mornings).
After the service we still visit the cemetary on the way home. There is the sea of lighted candles as it is a tradition in Finland. This particular cemetary is located partly on the hill, and below you may see the city lights. There are the lights for the living and the lights for the dead, and yet those cold electric lights in the world of the living make me wonder which is which after all...

Already for the past three years on Maundy Thursday evening we have organized at home an Agape Meal or the Feast of Love among small circle of close friends. It is a simple ritual meal (we offer vegetarian soup) with Scripture reading, prayer, meditation, and hymn. I've made up this ritual from several sources and now it finally seems to be complete: there's nothing to add and nothing to remove. This is our Easter tradition.