Renaissance Cross, Chicago Art Institute, Photo by Philip Majorins

Holy Week

Lent began over five weeks ago on Ash Wednesday. Over the course of this week, Christians around the world will re-enact and remember the days leading up to Christ's death and resurrection. This journey towards the cross began on Palm Sunday with a commemoration of Jesus entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. The people who confessed and praised him as the Savior King later cry out, “…crucify him, crucify him!”

On Monday and Tuesday, Jesus returned to Jerusalem from Bethany and purified the Temple, fulfilling prophecies from the Old Testament (ex. Malachi 3:1-5). In Jerusalem, tensions continued to run high between Jesus and the religious rulers. Wednesday of Holy week is traditionally called "Spy Wednesday" because the enemies of Jesus were watching him closely and looking for an opportunity to capture him. On this day, the anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany is juxtaposed with the tragic betrayal of Judas.  

 

Paschal Triduum

The most striking worship celebrations of the Christian church happen every year at the end of the Lenten season. There is no greater contrast between darkness and light than the eclipse and glory that were experienced by Jesus’ disciples between the Last Supper and Easter morning. For centuries, Christians have marked the progression of these events through worship. They reenact these bedrock events to honor Christ, celebrate salvation, and grow in the way of Jesus through imitation and reflection. This period of time in the Church’s calendar has traditionally been referred to as the Paschal Triduum or “The Three Days.”

"The events framed by Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his resurrection are some of the most dramatic and theologically important of the entire scriptural narrative. These days feature not only the drama of the triumphal entry, trial, last supper, and crucifixion but also Jesus’ poignant prayers and prophetic teachings. John’s gospel devotes eight of its twenty-one chapters to this week alone—reminding us of a common observation that the gospels are “passion narratives with long introductions.” The week begins with Passion/Palm Sunday and ends with the “three days” (also called the Triduum, from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Easter Day), the period during which we mark Jesus’ trial, death, and resurrection."
-from The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd Edition.

Monday (April 6)
Resources
Scripture Readings
Psalm 36:5-11
Your love reaches to the heavens

Isaiah 42:1-9
The righteous servant

Hebrews 9:11-15
The priest of the new covenant

John 12:1-11
Mary anoints Jesus for his burial
Collect for Monday in Holy Week
Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other that the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. -The Book of Common Prayer
Tuesday (April 7)
Resources
Scripture Readings

Psalm 71:1-14
In you, Lord, I have taken refuge

Isaiah 49:1-7
The chosen servant born to redeem

1 Corinthians 1:18-31
The foolishness of the cross

John 12:20-36
The Son of Man will be lifted up
Collect for Tuesday in Holy Week
O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. -The Book of Common Prayer
"Spy" Wednesday (April 8)
Resources
Scripture Readings
Psalm 70
Hasten, O God, to save me

Isaiah 50:4-9a
The suffering servant will be
vindicated by God


Hebrews 12:1-3
Fix your eyes on Jesus

John 13:21-32
The Son of Man will be
denied and glorified
Collect for Wednesday in Holy Week
Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. -The Book of Common Prayer
Maundy Thursday (April 9)

"Maundy Thursday marks three key events in Jesus' last week: his washing of his disciples' feet, his institution of the Lord's Supper, and his new commandment to love one another. This service begins the Triduum, the three-day period from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Easter Day. The name "Maundy Thursday" comes from the Latin mandatum novum, referring to the "new commandment" Jesus taught his disciples (John 13:34). In other words, this is "new commandment Thursday." -from The Worship Sourcebook, 2nd Edition.

On this day, Jesus commemorated the Passover meal with his disciples, an observance of God rescuing his people from slavery in Egypt. In celebrating this observance, Jesus was pointing to the new covenant he would make with God's people, rescuing them from spiritual slavery to sin and death. Before the meal, he washed the feet of his disciples and instituted the Lord's Supper (Communion, Eucharist, Mass). In so doing, our servant King provided a means of grace and an example for us to follow. Christian participation in these practices reflects upon the new command of Jesus to, “Love each other as I have loved you.” 

Resources
Scripture Readings
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice

Isaiah 50:4-9a
The suffering servant will be
vindicated by God


Hebrews 12:1-3
Fix your eyes on Jesus

John 13:21-32
The Son of Man will be
denied and glorified
Collect for Maundy Thursday
"Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."-The Book of Common Prayer
Good Friday (April 10)

Good Friday is a reminder of the darkness experienced by Christ on our behalf. Out of true death, comes true life. His death and resurrection comprise the mysteries at the very heart of the Christian faith. On this day, Christ became the, "...Paschal (Passover) Lamb of our salvation, by whose blood we have been purchased unto God as His own consecrated people, a holy nation, a royal priesthood. Christians today gather at the foot of the cross with Mary the Lord's Mother, the beloved disciple John, the repentant Mary Magdalene and her several companions, the confessing Centurion and all others who have, down through the ages...been made holy by the redeeming act of the God who loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son."

Resources
Scripture Readings
Psalm 22
My God, why have you forsaken me?

Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12
The suffering servant

Hebrews 10:16-25
The way to God is opened

John 18:1 - 19:42
The Passion and death of Jesus Christ
Collect for Good Friday
"Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."
 -The Book of Common Prayer
Holy Saturday (April 11)

This is officially the last day of the Lenten fast. There has been some controversy as to what exactly happened on this day, but the profound symbolism of Christ resting in the tomb while humanity waits for the resurrection runs deep in Eastern and Western Christian traditions. On this day, we wait for his resurrection and rest in prayer, by meditating on his passion, death, and descent to the dead.

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, also has been a traditional symbol connected to Holy Saturday. In Western Catholic tradition Mary represents the entire Church on Holy Saturday, "As she awaited in faith for the victorious triumph of Her Son over death on the first Holy Saturday, so we too wait with Mary on the present Holy Saturday." This prayerful waiting has been called the "Ora della Madre" or Hour of the Mother.

God does not redeem from afar. The Word descended into our humanity; the Lord descended into the depths of our suffering; Christ descended into the very realm of death itself in order to set free its captives. There is life in the midst of death because love dwells in it. Thanks be to God.

Resources
Scripture Readings
Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16
Let your face shine on your servant

Job 14:1-14
Hope for a tree cut down

1 Peter 4:1-8
Suffering like Christ

Matthew 27:57-66
John 19:38-42

The burial of Jesus
Collect for Holy Saturday
O God, Creator of heaven and earth:  Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the  coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
  
-The Book of Common Prayer


 
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