Holy Week

Holy Week

   Real life has been remarkable lately  My job has altered several times in the last few weeks alone!  By the Sunday after Easter my job situation should have settled down (praying) and I should have my mom moved to more appropriate care.  Until then, I'm rather busy.  So only one posting this week-my thoughts on Holy Week.

   In the Christian world, Holy Week refers to the time between Palm Sunday and Easter.  It is the most holy of Christian holy days.  It's a time when we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  How it is celebrated varies amongst Christian churches.

  It is most celebrated amongst traditional liturgical churches-Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Orthodox, etc.  Sadly, many of the other Christian churches do not keep a liturgical calendar, so the concept of Holy Week is limited.

   

   Lent is the season before Holy Week.  It's a time to prepare your heart and mind for the upcoming high holy days.  It starts on Ash Wednesday.  The theme of that day is that we need to remember that we started from the earth and will one day will return to it.

   The preparation of the heart and mind can come in various ways.  Fasting is often encouraged.  Common is the idea of "giving something up" for Lent.  This ranges from doing without certain foods or drinks, to giving up certain activities.  It's up to individual to choose.  Along with this is the idea of adding.  Individuals who choose to give up, for example,  one meal a week, can use that time in extra prayer.  And the money saved to donate for the poor.  Reading of spiritually encouraging materials works as an add as well.  These choices should be personal and not health challenging.

   Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday.  This is the annual remembrance of the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem.  The crowds greeted Him with shouts of, "Save us!"  The crowd thought Jesus was going to be a political savior-to free them from Roman rule.

   Historically, Jesus spent the time from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday teaching and preaching in Jerusalem and camping outside the city.  They were poor and Jerusalem was full of people coming into town for Passover.

   Maundy Thursday is a very important day.  That evening was the first night of Passover and it was the last time that Jesus was to celebrate it with his disciples.  And he knew it.  The format of Passover celebrations hasn't changed all that much since the days of Jesus.

   That night, as was their habit, Jesus and His disciples went back to their campsite at the Mount of Olives.  Judas, the betrayer, had already left to bring the Temple guards to capture Jesus.  Instead of sleeping, Jesus spent much of that night in prayer.  It is recorded that He prayed twice, asking that He not have to go through the death that was preordained.  After that, His prayers were for help during the ordeal to come.  The disciples slept through this.

   After Jesus was done praying the guards showed up and Jesus was arrested.  He went willingly.  The Temple leader held a trial which took quite a while, because they couldn't find two witnesses to agree.  Eventually a guilty verdict was reached.  But since they couldn't condemn Him to death, Jesus was hauled to King Herod, the local political leader.  Herod knew what a political hot potato Jesus was and refused to condemn Him.  So Jesus was brought to the  Roman authority, Pontius Pilate.  The Temple leaders really wanted Jesus killed and brought strong political pressure on Pilate.

   So Jesus was condemned to die.  He had already been ridiculed, tortured, and whipped.

Churches that hold Maundy Thursday services often hold what are called vigils.  Prayer times.  Times to remember the sacrifice of Jesus.

  What is commonly called Good Friday is often called a Holy Day of Obligation.  Roman Catholics are required to attend church that day.  It is a day of mourning.  Jesus has died on the cross.  He has been buried in a borrowed tomb.  The Jewish officials, remembering what Jesus had said about His resurrection, posted guards at the tomb.  I don't know about other churches, but in the Roman Catholic church the normal candles are extinguished.  Even the priests' robes are somber.  Since Jesus traditionally was on the cross from 3-5 p.m., that's when the Good Friday service was, growing up.  Longest church service of the year.

   Many non-traditional Christian churches hold their Good Friday services that evening.  The message is still that of the death of Jesus and what that means for us.

Holy Saturday is a day of waiting.  Jesus is still in the tomb.  Traditional churches continue holding prayer vigils.  For some, it's a way of identifying with Jesus.  In specific ceremonies (no matches), the church candle lights are re-lit.  Waiting.  Lent is almost over.

Easter can be an amazing day.  It's a celebration.  Jesus has come back from the dead.  If you have spent Lent preparing your heart and mind it's a great release.  It's the end of fasting.  Easter is a day to feast.  Chocolate figures highly in my day.

   Protestant churches popularized the Sunrise service.  I'm not a morning person, so I don't often attend Sunrise services.  But many people love them and find them very inspiring.  This year I have to work during the day, so I'll be attending an evening service.

Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  And we are reborn as well.