Holy Week is the week between Palm Sunday (yesterday) and Easter. It’s the week that we remember the last week of Jesus’ life, his death, and resurrectiong. It’s often a week full of special church activities and gathering with friends and family. But for all of us, this will now be another week at home, so I wanted to share with you some ideas for Holy Week specifically and then some more for staying close to God in general in these challenging times.
Remember the story: Matthew 21 tells of the Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday). If you read that on Sunday and one more chapter each day of the week, you'll read Matthew 28 and Jesus' Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Even if you didn’t start yesterday, you can catch up a chapter and finish out the rest of the week!
Maundy Thursday Table Liturgy: Maundy Thursday is the day we remember Jesus’ last supper with his disicples and his new command to “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). As you eat that night, you can use this simple table liturgy to remember the events of that night (courtesy of our friends at Covenant Presbyterian Church of Chicago)
Prayer and Fasting on Good Friday (April 10): The leadership of our denomination (the PCA) has joined the leaders of several other denominations in calling all our members to join together in Prayer and Fasting this Friday, in recognition both of the long tradition of particularly remembering Jesus' death on Good Friday and calling out to God in the midst of our current crisis. More details to come on how to do this and a virtual gathering that day.
Listen to music: I've been listening to and loving the Resurrection Letters series of albums from singer Andrew Peterson. They take you through the darkness of Good Friday, the joy of Easter Sunday and the effects of Jesus' Resurrection for us.
Keep Easter special: While many Easter traditions of gathering with family and friends will not be possible, I would still encourage you to mark Easter Sunday as special as possible, with whatever special food, gifts, and activities that are still possible. And of course, joining together in our virtual building!
This will be a Holy Week unlike any other for most of us and there is great sadness in that. At the same time, we can remember that the first Holy Week was an awful time for Jesus and His followers, but Easter still came! And the hope of Easter is that an even greater celebration is yet to come, when Jesus will come again!
Blessings,
Pastor Jimmy