It is the week that redefines all other weeks! Throughout the history of the Church, it has also been called, The Great Week. It allows us to recall and rehearse the events of Jesus’ life during his final days.
It begins on Palm Sunday, where we wave palm branches in the air and throw our coats on the ground. We celebrate the humility with which Jesus rides into Jerusalem, calling for a different kind of kingdom, which is meant to redefine the world.
We will gather around the table of communion on Maundy Thursday, which is where we find Jesus and the disciples on that night. The word, Maundy, comes from the Latin translation of the gospel of John, meaning, “new commandment.” We are called to love others in the same way Christ loves us!
On Good Friday, we will experience the darkness as the Light of the World goes out. We will gather for our Tenebrae service, as our choir leads us in worship. Tenebrae comes from the Latin meaning, “shadows” or “darkness.”
In order to experience the light of Christ’s love on Easter morning, we first walk through the events of Holy Week. They anchor us in the life of Jesus, who leads us forward.
This week redefines all of our other weeks because it refocuses our lives on the center of our faith. We see again the solidarity with which God stands with us. We are called to see again the image of God within us, from which we were created and for which we are redeemed. We see again the journey we share with others, not only at the corner of College Street and Glenn Avenue, but also with the Church around the world.
As we focus our eyes on this Great Week, our lives are widened and deepened in significant ways. The final week of Jesus’ life opened up the disciples’ eyes to the unlimited love of God, which reaches beyond our imagination. The light of Easter morning shines in all directions and the darkness cannot overcome it.
Likewise, we see again the love of God will not be limited, and it will lead us forward in ways we cannot imagine. But first, we walk together through the days of Holy Week, remembering the final days of Jesus’ life.
-Tripp