Bringing Easter To Life!

Thirteen members from Bethany/Holy Trinity Lutheran Parish's recreate the famous Leonardo Da Vinci's portrait of "The Last Supper"

Last Night, in a small town in Minnesota called East Grand Forks, a very special church brought Maundy Thursday to life.  Thirteen members researched, practiced, and rehearsed to be able to the bring "The Last Supper" to life for an admiring and awestruck audience for the 26th year in a row.  Over the years, many actors have participated and help reenact this amazing scene that gives an almost indescribable feeling to those who are watching it...it is almost like you are there at the REAL last supper watching it unfold in all its glory.  You can smell the candles in the air, you can feel the magnitude of the moment, and actually look upon the face of "Jesus" and be humbled to be in his "presence".  My dad, Pastor Bud Johnson, gets the privilege to narrate the experience and become the Leonardo Da Vinci by setting the stage and "painting the picture" for the audience of what is transpiring in this picture.  There is a short description of all the people involved and then the story of the Last Supper according to the Bible is retold to the climax of the everyone posing in exactly the same way as the famous painting.  For Pastor Bud Johnson, the Last Supper service is "a moving experience every year".

In our busy schedules, hectic life, and materialistic-driven world it seems like we have lost touch with who and what we are and who exactly we need to give thanks and gratitude to.  Every year, the REAL essence of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the amazing Easter sinks in more and more.  The first time that the full impact of this Maundy Thursday and Good Friday actually was about 10 years ago in a Maundy Thursday church service watching this exact scene transpire.  I cried, almost uncontrollably, because I finally got to understand the magnitude of what God and his son, Jesus, actually did for US!  Maybe part of the uncontrollable crying was the fact that my father was the narrator, two of my brothers where actors in that years portrayal, my mom was crying next to me, my amazing husband had his arm around me, and my beautiful first-born son was cradled in my arms.  That night was one of the most impact nights in my walk as a Christian!  But, lets not forget, it's not just what God and Jesus did, but also his mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, the disciples, Pontious Pilot and everyone else involved that actually had to go through his betrayal, his horrific torture and crucifixion, that ultimately led to his death on the cross.  Why did God so carefully orchestrate everyone who was involved, the situations that had to transpire, and eventual outcome to happen?


So today I am packing to head to Grand Forks, ND today to go celebrate Easter with my family and friends there, I know that tonight is going to be a struggle to be able to sit through Good Friday, it gets harder and harder every year.  The true, very real, and palpable reason has finally sunk in and embedded itself so deep that I can feel it in every fiber of my being.  I give thanks and praise to God for all his blessings, protection, love, and his ultimate sacrifice of his one and only son for this flawed and selfish sinner...
So find the TRUE MEANING of Easter this year and celebrate that with your loved ones, the Easter Bunny will understand.