The Crowd

In the Gospels, especially in Luke, "the crowd" is what is at stake. Jesus appeals to them, the scribes and pharisees attack Jesus in order to sway their opinion of them. Will they go with Him or not?

This is the drama that the liturgists must have had in mind when they began assigning "the part of the crowd" to the congregation for the liturgical readings of the Passion. But in my view it is far too literal and turns the reading of the Passion--a liturgical act--into a dramatic act. Outside of the liturgy, dramatic stagings of important events of the life of the Lord are very helpful. But are they right for the liturgy?

In the Good Friday liturgy, the ministers prostrate themselves. We kiss the feet of the Lord. We take Communion. We worship the Cross. These are the heightened, symbolic, liturgical ways for Christians to acknowledge their joy in the salvation won for them by His blood. There is a deeper drama.