After the service is over every Friday night in Taizé, the iconic cross that they usually have up in the front of the church is laid flat on the floor in the center of the church. First, the brothers gather around the cross to pray, and then they exit as usual. After that, anyone who wants to can go up and pray gathered around the cross. Most kneel and some lay their heads on the cross as they are praying. And it’s not unusual to see people leaving their time there with tears in their eyes as they have had a significant experience of laying their burdens down and experiencing God’s presence in a powerful way. When we were there, people were lined up well past midnight for prayers.
Here is the reflection that I wrote after my time of circling around this beautiful cross with people all around the world joining me with prayers of their own.
“Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”
Jesus, you hold the whole world in your hands. You hold all the hopes and dreams and disappointments and failures in our hearts with us and for us.
You breathe in all the pain and brokenness of the world…
And you breathe out love and shalom.
You came so that we would not be alone.
You came to bear the weight of the world.
You came to heal and restore all of creation.
Adoramus te Christe.
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