Seasons of the soul: A peak experience: the three days of Easter

As I write late on the afternoon of Maundy Thursday, it is with the anticipation of embarking on keeping alive the remembrance at the pinnacle of the Christian faith within the cycle of the liturgical year - the Easter Triduum.

The Easter Triduum refers to the three days from the evening of Thursday through to Sunday evening. It also refers to the three major events around which the community of faith gathers: the commemoration of The Last Supper on Maundy Thursday; the commemoration of the suffering and death of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on Good Friday; and the celebration of His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Holy Saturday, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, is a day of quiet and mourning remembering that this was the time that Jesus lay in the grave.

I was thinking to-day that I have kept these traditions for sixty years. Sometimes the Triduum has not been kept in its entirety when health matters have intervened. This has happened a lot over the last decade. But health has improved and I am looking forward to full participation this year.

To-night will be the washing of feet. Last year, this was done with towels and soap and bowls from our local public hospital where St Thom's has a huge and long involvement in chaplaincy and pastoral care. Great symbolism! To-morrow, we go ecumenical joining with the Catholic and Uniting Church in procession and ceremony. Sunday, St Thom's starts at 6.10am with the sun and kindling the new fire followed by breakfast followed by the great rejoicing as the purple disappears and the Gloria that hasn't been heard for six weeks rings out. "He is risen!" is the greeting of the day with the response of "He is risen indeed!". Miss E will be following this with a trip into the Hills to the tiny Quaker Meeting for Worship at Menzies Creek.

When you can do nothing else: bear witness

What are you doing this Easter: worshipping, working or playing?

Barnaby Joyce claimed to have saved Good Friday and saved Christmas Day for workers as a condition of passage of the Howard Governments draconian industrial relations laws through the Senate. Jill Murray is a party pooper. She has cast doubt on Backdown Barnaby's claims. So if you see yourself pitching your tent with the family at Rosebud next week with all those other Victorians who treat Easter as the last proper holiday time before winter sets in, better check with your boss first. The last week as shown that quite a few employers want to get in early to make the most of the Howard and Andrews gift to employers. The first public holidays since the legislation came into effect on Monday 27 March will provide a further test to the venality of employers. How many employees who otherwise would not have worked over the Easter holidays will be co-erced or feel co-erced into working these days and thus taking them away from worship, from their families, from recreation. And how many executives, managers, owners will work this Easter when otherwise they would not? A miniscule number, I venture.

So check with the boss - but don't forget Barnaby. If the boss won't let youo have Easter to yourself and you will be working on Good Friday and/or Easter Monday, let Barnaby know. Here are his contact details. I doubt he'll be in St George though. I think it's an each way bet on either the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast.

Any Barnaby watchers out there might like to let Miss Eagle know.