Holy Week

This is one of my favorite photos for Holy Week. What a statement it makes when you see this Crucifix hanging at the front of the church. It speaks volumes to what this week is all about! I hope you will participate in some way in all the activities going on in your church community to prepare for the Resurrection of the Lord.

I am using the post from last year. My brain is mush as I help to get everything ready for the Easter celebration to come:

It’s the busiest week of the year for me: Holy Week. Busier than Christmas, it’s a week of flurry and activity leading up to the Resurrection of Jesus! Man, I wonder if it was as much chaos for Him as it is for me. It’s funny that I would even think that I could compare my week to His! For me, this is a Holy Week of distractions. Distractions, that if I let them, could disrupt my joy in anticipating the coming of the Lord.

There are lists to check off and so many choices and decisions to make. Add a funeral and boy, what day is it again? Palm Sunday colors were red and then Monday we went back to purple. Thursday is white and Friday, red again before all the colors are displayed in the finale on Sunday. Lilies and candles and the different readings, oh my! So many Holy Week distractions. Our church is full of history and tradition and we try to make everything meaningful for the congregation because, let’s face it, it is why Jesus came, so He could die and rise again to save us from our sin! Let’s take a look at what Holy Week entails.

Spy Wednesday

Today is Spy Wednesday. –I’d never heard that saying before but how fitting. I subscribe to a newsletter called “The Pillar”. It’s from a couple of Catholic gentlemen who produce a podcast by the same name, talking about current events and all things Catholic. Today is Spy Wednesday because Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver and they correlate how we all betray Jesus, justifying our sins. Here’s a little snippet from the newsletter:

“We are conditioned to prefer analysis to repentance. We are often convinced that with enough diagnosis, we can master our own wills, overcome our own vices, conquer our fallen natures.”

I don’t know about you, but this is me. I’m always assessing why I do the things I don’t want to do and trying to overcome on my own all those areas of my life where I fall short. Trying, trying, trying. Anyone else do this? Just go to confession. There are many opportunities to go this Holy Week.

Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday is where we ask people in the church to come forward at Mass to have their feet washed. Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in the Upper Room at the Last Supper. How humbling for them and for Christ! He loves us that much. I’ve seen photos of the Pope washing people’s feet. Can you even imagine it? Can you humble yourself to do it? Not many are willing. But it is beautiful and very moving when someone serves you in this way. We celebrate supper with the Eucharist and then we end the evening in Adoration. Some of us will sit and pray with Jesus until midnight.

Good Friday

In our small town, we have a “Community Way of the Cross” where people gather at various churches downtown to read the Stations of the Cross. A member from each church will read one or two stations and then we all walk to another church nearby with someone carrying a large wooden cross. It’s a nice way to bring folks together to experience and remember what Jesus went through walking to Calvary. Our parish will read the Passion of the Lord later that afternoon.

Action Steps

There’s nothing better than exploring Holy Week entering into Easter after experiencing everything Holy Week has to offer. Find a church near you and just explore the activities they have to offer. Put it in your planner. Schedule it in your day. You will be blessed.

May God bless us all this week as we approach Easter Sunday. Pray for the people coming into your church at Easter Vigils all over the world and those people who will be moved this weekend to make a decision to love and follow Jesus more. That’s what it’s all about, friends. More of Jesus, less distractions.

God bless.–Barb