What is 'Holy Week'?
In our culture, as you probably well know, the significance of important, highly valued, religious days and times has long been forgotten. For the most part, we live our lives on the surface of frenetic activity. We surf and skim over a body of information, but rarely dive into the depths of knowledge and wisdom, and we are lesser people as a result. But for those who care to know more about the truth of a period of time into which we are about to enter, a highly valued time deserving of our great respect, I would urge you to read on!
Palm Sunday is the traditional beginning of what has been known throughout Christian history as “Holy Week,” a week designed to focus our attention on the passion (or suffering) of Christ (‘Christ’ is a title meaning Messiah). The story of Christ is the story of God Himself coming to earth in the form of a human being, a man named Jesus of Nazareth, who lived a perfect, sinless life, and then willingly went to the cross in order to die for the sins of the world. The tradition of “Holy Week” began when Christians made pilgrimages to Jerusalem in order to re-enact the last scenes of the life of Christ.[1]
There are five days in this week that are set apart. It begins with Palm Sunday, and then includes Maundy Thursday[2], Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and then Easter Sunday.
Let’s talk about “Good Friday,” the day we mark the anniversary of when Jesus was crucified. At first the word “good” may seem like a misnomer, because sin and suffering are not good. But what Jesus did for us—what His death accomplished on our behalf—was good. Good because He took on our sins, and then hung on the cross in our place, paying the price for our sins so that we could be forgiven.
“Holy Saturday,” the day before Easter Sunday, marks the time when the body of Jesus lay in the tomb. Little is associated with this day, because few know what to do with Jesus descending into the depths of hell, but it seems that that descent was a victory lap, a prelude of what was soon to follow!
And then, of course, comes Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a day that so altered human history that we are still talking about and celebrating it 2000 years later!
Each of these days is rich with meaning, significance, and spiritual admonishment, but it all begins with Palm Sunday, the day of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Mark 11:1-10). As you may know, however, a tragic turn of events transpired as their “Hosannas” quickly turned into “Crucify Him!” But then the resurrection of Easter quickly ensued, and today we are left with a choice: Are you going to follow a resurrected Lord or a dead, false substitute.
Devotedly your pastor,
Bill Blanchard
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[1] There is an ancient text, called The Pilgrimage of Egeria, which describes a fourth century visit to Jerusalem, and it was noted that people were already observing “Holy Week” by that point in history!
[2] This word Maundy comes from old Latin and French words which mean “commandment” (from “mandate”). It is based upon the command of Jesus in John 13:34 when, after washing the feet of the disciples, He gave them a new commandment or mandate to love one another. Some churches experience a foot-washing ceremony on Maundy Thursday in order to commemorate this experience.