...while it was still dark...

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Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark …  John 20:1

Dimijian Images night sky from Madagascar
www.dimijianimages.com © Gregory G. and Mary Beth Dimijian


It was still dark—just after midnight, in fact—when we heard the voices, faint at first, growing ever stronger. It was voices, raised in song to proclaim the good news of Easter morn:

Efa namangy ny olony,
Jeso izay tompon’ ny aina
Lasa ny alina maizina
Tonga indray ny maraina,Tonga indray ny maraina

 Jesus, who is Lord of Life,
Has already visited his people
The dark night has passed –
The morning has come again,
The morning has come again.


We were at Betela Seminary in northwestern Madagascar, and the singers were members of the seminary community and the surrounding villages who were participating in a Malagasy Easter tradition … singing this song of resurrection promise while it was still dark.

There is something powerful about celebrating the promise of the dawning day before it has fully come to light, about proclaiming new life when the evidence of death still lies near at hand.
Ory ny fon’ ny sakaizany,
Aiza Ilay nantenaina?
Hitany nefa tsy fantany,
Jeso, Izay Tompon’ ny aina,
Jeso, Izay Tompon’ ny aina

The hearts of his beloved were grief-stricken,
Where is the One in whom we placed our hope?
He was seen but not recognized,
Jesus, the Lord of life. 
Jesus, the Lord of life.


Leave it to our brothers and sisters in one of the poorest places on earth to remind us that we are an Easter people who dare to sing of the new day dawning while it is still dark.  May our voices join that chorus!
Teraka ny fifaliana
Tonga ny Filazantsara
Andron’ ny fitomaniana
Mody ho Pasaka tsara,
Mody ho Pasaka tsara

Joy has been born,
The Good News has come
A day of deep sorrow
Has returned as a blessed Easter morn
Has returned as a blessed Easter morn.

Bishop Jim Gonia

Comments

Anonymous said…
I can almost hear the tunes to those songs. It's been so long though that all that remains are the comfort of familiar words and a sense of the hauntingly beautiful and raw sounds of people singing in community together. Little more, now, than the memory of a dream from another life.

Still, I'll take the faint whiff of a memory over none at all.
Nice picture choice, btw.
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