Tenebrae Darkness

Today is Good Friday.

Last night at church we had a Tenebrae Service – an old tradition that has been practiced in churches since medieval times. Originally it was for monastic communities; later it became an important part of the worship of common folk during Holy Week.

Traditional Tenebrae Services start with a number of candles lit. Readings point to the final events of Jesus’ life. After each reading a candle is extinguished until finally the church in complete darkness, except for the light of a single candle, signifying Jesus.

I remember ‘Tenebrae’ from my Latin lessons many years ago; it means ‘darkness’ or ‘shadow’. Last night we considered the physical darkness of night in the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus prayed and was arrested; we reflected on dark themes in the narrative… betrayal, denial, treachery, hypocrisy, separation, humiliation…

We left in Tenebrae darkness.

We came home and watched ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’. The film contains dark themes – abuse, prejudice, murder, rape and abandonment… but love, nature, independence, resolve and beauty win in the end.

The ‘light overcoming darkness’ picture is familiar, particularly in a Christian context. At Christmas we read ‘In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.’ We’re pointed to ‘Jesus, the Light of the World’.

Last night, in Tenebrae darkness, we were reminded of Jesus’ words, ‘…men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.’

This morning, reading the Job narrative… Job’s were dark times… bereavement, despair, sickness, abandonment he frequently refers his life’s darkness: ‘If the only home I hope for is the grave, if I spread out my bed in darkness… where then is my hope?’(17:13)

He does say of his God: ‘He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into light.’ (12:22) Job knows that his God of light is there… but at that moment… today, pausing on Good Friday… we’re living in Tenebrae darkness.