Imagine That...

There are many groups and individuals who are getting prepared for Holy Week. It's easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of it all, but we must remember that as we approach this solemn and sacred occasion we are to move slowly, prayerfully and in a deep spirit of reflection. Our movement through Holy Week is not merely an intellectual exercise, but is deeply emotional. We are invited by the Church to enter into each celebration by tapping into the emotion of the original event. We must make every effort to FEEL Holy Week.

PALM SUNDAY

 



On Palm Sunday, we should allow ourselves to get swept up in the fanfare of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Much like a ticker-tape parade for World Series or Super Bowl Champions, we gather with enthusiasm at the sight of the Messiah. Our palm branches are waved with vigor, our spirits are uplifted and our souls soar at the thought of a victorious Messiah! We do not rush to the end of the story that awaits us at the end of the week. There will be time for that. The hope and promise that Jesus brings is believed and embraced.

 

MAUNDY THURSDAY

 



On Maundy Thursday, our imagination takes us into the Upper Room. We gather around the table with Jesus and his disciples. We witness and experience the command that Jesus gives to wash one another's feet. We are reminded that discipleship means that we are called to serve, not to be served. The great act of humility unfolds before us - not only the humility of washing another's feet, but of allowing Our Lord to wash our feet! To wash and to be washed fills us with an emotion of great joy and reverence.

When the bowls and towels are put away, our attention shifts to the breaking of bread and Jesus' institution of the Holy Eucharist. In that moment, Jesus gives us the New Covenant, a covenant that we celebrate and acknowledge 2,000 years later! The depth and breadth of His presence is made real as we acknowledge His Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

We then walk with Jesus and the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane. It is there that Jesus invites us to pray with him. We envision Jesus' spiritual torture even before his physical one begins as he sweats blood and begs God to "allow this cup to pass" from him. It is easy to imagine the disciples exhausted from their shared meal and the stress of the weeks leading to this moment. They fall asleep. We, however, devote ourselves to remaining awake with Jesus. By signing up for one hour, we sit with our Lord in prayer, anticipating the crucifixion. We hear the guards coming for Jesus and watch with horror as Judas kisses Jesus on the cheek, the triumph of Palm Sunday evaporated into a fog of deception that leads to the next moment...

 

GOOD FRIDAY

 



Good Friday is a day of great solemnity. It is not a day for work or errands or parties. By all accounts, it's a sad day as we imagine that Jesus has been handed over by one of his friends the night before this moment. Jesus is tried, handed his cross, and executed. This is the day that Jesus died for our sins. It is such a difficult and painful day that, if we enter into the experience with the fullness of our imagination and emotion, the word "good" in its title gets caught in our throats with the mere thought of its ironic use.

We reflect and acknowledge that Jesus died for the sins of humanity in general, but the real pain enters our soul when we admit that Jesus died for our individual sins as well. We should be pained by his pain. "Passion" means suffering. That's why it's known as the "Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ." If we have a sense of "Com-Passion" then we "suffer with" Christ on the cross. It is there that we quickly recognize that Christ suffers with us in our pain and suffering. We are never alone!

EASTER VIGIL

 

 

We have spent Good Friday focusing on our sins, communal and individual. The pain of watching Jesus suffer has been great. Like Mary Magdalene, we run to the tomb at the earliest possible moment. We discover that it's empty! The tomb is empty! Our sins - my sins- did not put an end to the final victory that belongs to Christ. The darkness of sin that shrouds the world is shattered by the light of Christ!

 

A fire blazes outside. A candle that will burn brightly through Pentecost and with each baptism and funeral will represent the power of that fire. The church remains dark through the readings as we sit with the reality of our world. After hearing scripture passages that tell the story of humanity, we sing the Gloria with gusto and fervor. The lights come on. The bells are tolled. Holy water is sprinkled to remind us of our baptismal promises. We are invited to say "Alleluia!" at the top of our lungs.

 

We imagine the confusion that the disciples had on Easter morning, but we know something that they don't at that point. We know the meaning of it all. We know what it means. And it's so magnanimous, that we no longer pretend to be ignorant of what's happening. We rejoice. We celebrate. We give thanks, praise and glory to God for the raising of His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

 

Alleluia!

 

Can you imagine such a thing? Then, let's do so together!