So anyway...It’s Holy Week. It’s a difficult journey to the cross so that we may celebrate Easter. Everyone just wants to celebrate Easter, but without dealing with the yucky, messy death part. But that part is so very necessary so that we may celebrate Easter.
I was reading a daily devotional this morning. The author, who is also a pastor, pointed out that there is no issue with so many people filling pews for Easter, but it is the dark & ugly side that churches commemorate with services that are so much less attended. Maundy Thursday & Good Friday are only 2 days out of all of Holy Week…and they are so important. Few want to face that part of it. Instead, they feel like they have to be at church on only Easter Sunday morning, hoping to find some eggs, eat candy & wear pretty clothes without the full understanding & witness of how & why we really got to that celebratory point.
I am a full believer in having the full gamut of Holy Week services. No combining. Jesus went thru all of these things & it was much harder for him. Just take a good look at ‘The Passion of the Christ’ to get that idea. We can take 2 nights out of our week to remember what else Jesus went thru for us.
When churches start combining or leaving things out because people don't come, we become a Church of Convenience &/or the Church of Warm Fuzzy Feelings (which is a whole other soapbox). Well, guess what, folks...there is nothing warm & fuzzy about Holy Week & there was absolutely nothing convenient for Jesus to give up his life for every one of us. Yet so many hide from this fact & become like Peter...denying Jesus & what he was going thru.
People, if you are willing to take part in the Lenten season by giving something up, then take an hour out of your Thursday & out of your Friday to understand why we change our lives for Christ thru this time. Then you can truly celebrate Easter with the understanding it deserves.
Do you have guts to do it...the heart? How's this...I DARE YOU! The WHOLE experience.
Stay tuned...
God Bless, AM~Erica
Here, here. I taught Catholic Catechism for many years, and I was amazed at how many parents didn't realize that it is EASTER that makes us Christians, not Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI cringe when I hear people having "parties" on Good Friday.
Last year's Holy Week and Easter were the most meaningful for me since I had just lost my dad a couple of weeks before. Trying to prepare an Easter sermon while in this deep period of grief was challenging AND rewarding at the same time. This year, the one year of my dad's "heavenly birthday" as I've chosen to call it is the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter. I hope and pray that as I remember my dad on that day that the power of Holy Week will be just as significant as it was for me last year.
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