“We’re going to bury the Alleluias on Sunday,” my colleague told me.
Although I’d grown up in a church where Lent was a thing, I’d spent the previous five years working at a non-denominational church that didn’t observe it.
Needless to say, when my colleague announced we were going to “bury the Alleluias,” I had no idea what she was talking about.
I soon found out.
That Sunday, the last before Lent began, we handed out ribbons to everyone and encouraged them to wave them whenever the word Alleluia appeared in worship. Then, near the end of the service, we invited everyone to place their ribbons – i.e., their Alleluias – in a bag to “bury them”.
The practice was meant for children. Yet, as an adult, I found it meaningful, too.
For the duration of Lent, we eliminated the word Alleluia from our worship services. Because of the heightened awareness I’d gained from waving my ribbon every time we’d sung Alleluia the previous week, I noticed its absence in a way I never had in my church as a child.
I felt the gravity of the season.
I felt its somberness.
That year, for the first time, I appreciated Lent.
I mourned the things in my life that were broken: Relationships that were fading, people who had died, job losses, and an assortment of other transitions.
I lamented all that is broken in our world, including violence, poverty, and war.
In Lent, it suddenly felt as though these things – the things that overwhelm us but don’t always feel welcome in church – belonged there. It felt like church wasn’t just a place that glossed over people’s problems but instead acknowledged them.
Lament, it turns out, is a holy act.
Lament gives us the space to recognize that all is not as it should be. We, and the world, are broken. Sadness is real. Yet, Jesus is here, weeping alongside us in the midst of that brokenness.
That year, Lent felt long. Six weeks is a long time to sit in the darkness and there were moments when I simply wanted to move on to the happiness I’d grown more comfortable expecting from church.
Yet, as it turns out, I needed those six weeks to prepare my heart for Easter.
Those around me did, too.
That year, we waited for Easter with longing and anticipation, in a way I never had before.
When Easter finally arrived, the word Alleluia made its return to worship. Once again, we broke out the ribbons and invited people to wave them every time we exclaimed the word Alleluia.
When Alleluia first appeared and people began waving their ribbons, I was overcome with emotions. My eyes filled with tears and I was left unable to do anything more than cry. I noticed the same was true of other people as well.
With tear-filled eyes, I appreciated Jesus’ resurrection in a new way. Lamenting had made me acutely aware of how Jesus’ death saves us not just from hell, but from the brokenness of our world today. Just as I’d felt the gravity of the Lenten season, I now felt the magnitude of Easter.
So I joined my voice with those of my family of faith and sang, Alleluia — to God be praised. I did so, not just because it’s what you do on Easter but because journeying through Lent showed me that indeed, the God who is with us in the midst of brokenness and who saves us from it, is worthy of our praise.
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Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Jen,
Absolutely beautiful and moving! Burying the Alleluias…what a tangible act to signify what happened when Christ walked His last days on earth and to lament the brokenness in our world today. It makes me think a lot about how would I live in the world today? How would I handle the trials life brings my way? How would I handle death and dying if I didn’t know the end of the story? That Christ overcame the grave!! That no matter what happens in this world, I can claim victory through Him? I honestly don’t think I could live without the hope, and peace, and joy that comes from knowing that though Christ died, and the Alleluias were buried, Christ rose from the dead and defeated the grave! We are called to participate in the suffering of Christ. I pray that during this Lent season that I would feel his pain and lament the brokenness all around me so that I can truly rejoice when Easter comes. Loved this…thank you for helping me prepare my heart…
Blessings,
Bev xx
Jen Bradbury says
Bev –
Thanks so much for reading! I will join you in that prayer this Lenten series: That we would feel his pain and lament the brokenness all around us so that we can truly rejoice when Easter comes.
Jen
Sue Neal says
Wow. This really moved me. I’m one of thise people who really feel the wirld around us. The bews brings me to tears and prayer. A commercial can do it. Driving past a homeless man, reading a story of an abused animal, etc. I connect deeply to the things around me. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not just being emotional.
This has given me a way to explain it to ky sweet hubby, who, theu years on combat service, has a bit if a wall many times, snd cannot relate to this at all. I am hopeful this story, the biblical knowledge he has if what lamenting is, will help him understand what I have not been able to explain properly in our 4 years together.
Blessings to you.
Sue
Jen Bradbury says
Sue –
It’s such a gift to know our words moved someone else! Praying these can be helpful in your conversation with your husband.
And what a blessing that you are someone who feels the world deeply. I know that doesn’t always feel like a gift but it is. Thank you for sharing it!
Jen
Jeanne Takenaka says
Jen, this is beautiful. Your post makes me want to be more intentional about all that Lent is—lamenting the brokenness of our world and preparing my heart to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection and the amazing gift He offers our world. I admit, I don’t take much time to lament. Too busy, you know. But, I sense God is telling me to slow down, be intentional about how I walk through these forty days, and let Him work in my heart. Thank you for sharing about burying the Allelujahs. I never thought about it before. 🙂
Jen Bradbury says
Jeanne –
It’s funny how our business can impact so much of our lives, isn’t it?
I wrote this back in December but yesterday – Ash Wednesday, the day on which Lent begins – I reread it and breathed a deep sigh of relief. So much feels so heavy right now and thanks to the season of Lent, I finally feel like it’s okay for me to dwell there for a little bit, knowing that Jesus does too. I hope you find the same to be true!
Jen
Rebecca L Jones says
It is a good time to remember His sacrifice. I read last night thata cross weighed 300 lbs. But He also wants us to experience resurrection power.
Ruth says
AMEN Rebecca. Jesus died once, for all, and now we live in the power of His resurrection. To remember His death is good; to live by His resurrection power is great!
Jen Bradbury says
Rebecca –
Absolutely! But for me, remembering Jesus’ death is what enables me to live his resurrection!
Jen
Beth Negrey says
I, too, don’t know how I’d be living through these days without the faith the Holy Spirit has planted in my heart. It makes me all the more want to share with others what gives me joy, strength, and caring for all God has created. Thanks so much for sharing your church’s Lenten custom of “burying the Alleluias.” I’m accustomed to the Alleluias being missing from services during Lent but never really took this so deeply to heart. I’m going to pass this along so that others might be blessed by it. <3
Jen Bradbury says
Beth –
Yes! Let’s share what gives us joy, strength, and caring for all God created with others.
Thanks for sharing the post & custom!
Jen
Melissa Henderson says
What a beautiful message! Thank you.
Jen Bradbury says
Thanks Melissa!
Jen
Beth Williams says
Jen,
Beautiful imagery of burying something for forty days & lament its loss. Then suddenly bring it back to life! I used to be in a church that celebrated Lent. Our little church doesn’t do that & I usually forget. It is important to lament our broken world. Praise God He overcame the grave & gives us hope to live in this sinful world of ours. Personally I know I couldn’t live my life without the hope and assurance God gives me. He has walked me through some miracles.
Last Easter Sunday I was driving to church. I looked out my left window & could easily envision 3 crosses atop the mountains. I cried thinking of what had happened on Mount Calvary when Jesus died. I was also sort of happy knowing three days later He arose!
Blessings 🙂