Orthodox Easter

We were going to visit an Orthodox Easter service this year, but their Easter service starts at midnight. Well, really, their Holy Week Celebration is all week long, and the midnight Easter vigil is the height of it.

In talking about how to virtually visit and all that, I asked, "Why is the Orthodox church so weird?" My husband replied with a sentiment Rod Dreher has written about, "Maybe it is because Christianity is supposed to be weird."

I have been thinking about that comment since then. So much of practical Christianity is socially acceptable. Being nice to each other, serving others, giving money, forming a community, going to church, being religious, and even praying in public doesn't bring social condemnation. People might look at you strangely for they way some of these things could be done, but usually the odd looks will come when we take to praying on the street corners like the Pharisees.

I know that there are aspects of Christianity that are a lot more socially uncomfortable, but those often require personal relationships with people. In the context of relationship, all sorts of oddities are revealed because it is safe to do so.

But what if those oddities were hanging out all over? What if I felt safe enough in God's love for me that it didn't matter if something was weird or not? And what if I decided to make Christ the center of my life, not school or church or family, though they would all be a part of Christ being the center. What would my life look like? Am I ready for that?