Rev. Dr. Devin Strong
Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church
Sunday, March 24th, begins the most sacred week of the year for Christians.
Holy Week, as we call it, starts with Palm Sunday--sometimes called Sunday of the Passion. On this day, we will read the story of Jesus’ last arrival in the big city of Jerusalem. He enters the city of triumph to the cheers and enthusiasm of crowds of ordinary believers. The crowd cuts palm branches to wave in the air and lay on the ground at Jesus’ feet. These branches were the unofficial flag of the Jewish resistance, pushing back against Roman occupation. Modern Christians often wave palm branches in worship on this day, marking our own solidarity with Jesus. Christians remember the joy of this day but also how fleeting it is, since the same crowds turn on Jesus just days later.
I know of a congregation that left their green, leafy palm branches intentionally lying on the sanctuary floor for all of Holy Week, watching them turn progressively brown and crunchy, as the worships of Holy Week wore on, as a visual reminder of the Lord’s impending death.
Holy Week continues with Maundy (Latin for “Commandment”) Thursday.
This is the night before Jesus’ death.
Christians celebrate it by remembering the events of Jesus’ Last Supper. Spirit of Peace will worship at table on this night, trying to capture something of the spirit of the Lord’s final meal with his friends.
Next, Holy Week takes us to Good Friday. It was anything but good for Jesus because this is the day that we remember that Jesus dies on the cross. However, believers defiantly insist that the day is good because it represents the Lord’s total and supreme act of love for us and the world. In our congregation, we will hold a simple worship of hymns and listening to Jesus’ words on the cross. By the end of Good Friday, the once green palm leaves are completely withered, and the fickleness of humanity is on full display. At first glance, this day looks like an entirely predictable end to Jesus’ story--a radical, upstart rabbi tries to change the world, but the worldly authorities catch him, kill him, and his so-called faithful followers run in fear. End of story.
Except it isn’t. Holy Week takes the most gracious turn imaginable with Easter Sunday. For Christians, this day is not about chocolate and Easter bunnies, it is about the Son of God who beat death and rises again. It is about how pain, loss, and brokenness never have the last word in God’s hands. Easter is about the empty tomb where Hope lives!
Spirit of Peace Lutheran Church cordially invites the community to join us for any and all Holy Week worship experiences:
• As we worship jointly with St.
Elizabeth Episcopal Church at St. Elizabeth’s on Palm Sunday, March 24th at 10:00 a.m.
• As we share dinner and worship at Spirit of Peace beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Maundy Thursday, March 28th.
• As we worship jointly with St.
Elizabeth Episcopal Church at Spirit of Peace at 7:00 p.m. on Good Friday, March 29th.
• As we joyfully celebrate Jesus’ resurrection at Spirit of Peace on Easter Sunday, March 31st. A potluck Easter breakfast begins at 8:45 followed by our worship celebration at 10:00 a.m.
May you find meaning in life as you live into the great Christian story in the week to come.