Holy Week
This year
Easter (and Holy Week) come early.
Easter is actually on March 23rd – can you believe it? So this month I’d like to talk to you about
Holy Week, what it means, and why you should join us at each and every special
service during that week.
Holy Week
starts on Sunday, March 16th – Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphal entry
of Jesus into Jerusalem that was
marked by the crowds waving palm branches and proclaiming Jesus as the
messianic king. And so, we will begin
our Palm Sunday service with our children processing in with palm
branches. We will sing and celebrate as
did the people of the day, not recognizing that only five days later their new
“king” would be hanging from a cross.
On Thursday
we will gather together in the evening for a very special service. The day is traditionally known as “Maundy
Thursday.” Maundy comes from the Latin
word mandatum, a term that is usually
translated “commandment,” from John’s account of this Thursday night where he
recorded Jesus saying, “A new commandment
I give to you that you love one another…”
On Maundy
Thursday we always have communion in recognition of Jesus’ first sharing the
bread and cup with his disciples on that night.
This year we will also be sharing a meal together much like the one we
imagine that Jesus shared with his disciples.
It is called a Seder meal and is the type of meal that all Jews
participated in during Passover.
This will be a very special service
that will bring us closer to how the disciples felt that night. All are invited and baby sitting will be
provided.
Friday of Holy Week is known as
“Good Friday.” It is a day in which we
will commemorate Jesus’ arrest, his trial, crucifixion, death, and burial. Many have asked how we could call such a
solemn day “good.” There are a number of
theories as to why this is so. One is
that although the day is certainly not a happy occasion, what transpires as a
result of it is certainly good. Another
theory is that “good” is another archaic meaning of “holy.” Some even suggest that “good” used to be
another term for “God’s.” Whatever you
believe, Good Friday is a day to mourn the terrible events that transpired on that
day.
Far too many people prefer to skip
Good Friday – it is just too morbid and painful. But we need to remember that Jesus never
would have gotten to Easter without passing through Good Friday – and neither
can we. It is only in walking through
the shadows and darkness of Good Friday, in contemplating the ending and
despair the disciples must have felt, that we can truly understand the light
and hope of Sunday morning.
Our Good Friday service will be
emotional, yes, but it will also give you a chance to better appreciate what
Jesus did for you and for me.
And finally, of course, we will end
Holy Week with an Easter celebration.
Two services will be offered.
One, our Easter Sunrise service, will commence at 6:30 a.m. Together
we will welcome the dawn of a new age.
We will discover together the empty tomb and the promises that provides
for each of us.
But if that is a tad too early for
you, then join us at 10:00 a.m. for a
grand celebration of new life, resurrection, and hope.
I do hope you will join us for ALL
of our Holy Week services. But whatever
you decide, know that we are all certainly blessed to know that we worship a
risen Christ, who loves us, cares for us, and has hope for us.
Have a blessed month and as always
I’ll see you on Sunday (and Maundy Thursday and Good Friday J)…
Pastor Tom
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