Bearing Witness in the Fading Day
Here in the northern hemisphere, we’re growing accustomed to an ever growing number of daylight hours. Christian communities who follow the Gregorian calendar are in the beginning of Holy Week, a time of intense and prayerful focus on the final days of Jesus’ life and transformation of death and defeat through resurrection.
I pray for a blessed Lent to our Orthodox Christian siblings, and for many blessings to those celebrating a variety of religious holidays and holy days, including Ramadan, Holi, and Purim.
As I engage deeply in my own practice, I offer here a reflection I penned on April 3, 2017 as that year’s solemn observance began. It is ended both as pondering and as an invitation to practice for those who are called to participate:
“Doing anything with single-mindedness is hard. Doing it for a week is harder. God’s invitation to us in the week ahead is an audacious one; “Give me a week and I will remake the world”. Contained within this promise is the equally powerful personal promise; “Give me a week and I will remake you.” Dwelling in the stories, songs, prayers and silences that made up the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry is challenging, but it does something to us, it opens us to the possibility of resurrection in the Easter story and in our own lives.
Palm/Passion Sunday
The coming weekend reminds us of the highs and lows of the week. We sing hosanna (please save us!), we wave branches and we remember Jesus’ joyful entry into Jerusalem. We also remember how this triumph turned tragic as the politics of the day had no room for a leader named Jesus.
Holy Monday
Jesus wasn’t timid during his visit to the Holy City, after that grand parade he got busy chasing the moneychangers and animal dealers out of the courtyards of the Temple.
Holy Tuesday
Jesus is surprised by an extravagant gift of love. During a dinner at a friend’s house, a woman pours expensive perfume all of his head, anointing him for burial. His friends struggle with the apparent waste, but he urges them to be generous in all things and to see what lies ahead.
Holy Wednesday
Sometimes called Spy Wednesday, this is the day associated with Judas and his plot to turn over Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. What could someone get you to do for a month of wages?
Maundy Thursday
From Mandatum or command, this day recalls that Jesus instructed his friends during his final meal before his arrest. He commanded them to love one another, represented by the washing of feet. He commanded them to remember him with the special Supper that he celebrated that night.
Good Friday
We read the story of the passion and crucifixion, not to feel morally superior to Jesus’ tormentors, but to recognize ourselves in them and to see the mercy Jesus extends to them and to us. We reel in the sadness of the loss and cry out in desperation “Remember me when you come into you kingdom!”
Holy Saturday
A time for silence, for watching and waiting. A time to keep vigil in all the places where death claims to be the last word. A time to contemplate the depths that Christ would go to, knowing the despair of death after death, before revealing true life after death.
Easter Vigil
We emerge from our silence to remember stories of salvation, to listen for Good news, to welcome new siblings into the family of God, and to sing the first songs of praise in the night!
Easter Day
From sunrise to sunset, we marvel in the power of God to make a way where there is none and to bring life out of death. In our worship, our festivities and even the quiet dinner of leftovers Jesus is present.
I urge you to use this listing as a guide, even if you can’t gather with others during each step of the way, to reset your mindfulness of Jesus’ journey to the Cross and beyond each day. Take time to pause, read the passages in your bible, imagine each scene and soak in what it means when the shouts of “He is Risen” fall on your ears.”
Be gentle with yourself, you are worth it.
Peace and Everything Good,
The Rev. JM Longworth, OEF
Spiritual Direction and Trauma Care
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