Be
merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak
with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. 10 My life is
consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails
because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. 11 Because of
all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a
dread to my friends- those who see me on the street flee from
me. 12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have
become like broken pottery. 13 For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot
to take my life. 14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, "You are
my God." 15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my
enemies and from those who pursue me. 16 Let your face shine on
your servant; save me in your unfailing love. -Psalm 31:9-16
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This week is Holy Week. Holy Week began on
Palm Sunday with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and will
end with his resurrection on Easter. The events that occurred
between these two occasions are the darkest moments for Christ’s
followers. Between Jesus’ entering Jerusalem and his
resurrection, our Lord Jesus was betrayed by his own disciple,
arrested, tried and was crucified on the cross. When he was laid
to rest in a tomb, his disciples feared the worst, but held out
for a word of hope.
The latter part of Holy Week culminates in the
Easter Triduum which begins on Thursday sunset and ends on
Sunday sunset. This period of time marks Jesus the Christ’s
death, burial, and resurrection. The early church celebrated the
whole mystery over the course of a night beginning on Easter
Eve, but since the 4th Century, these acts of reliving the story
have been spread over several days.
Today, many churches maintain these early
traditions and hold special services during these holy days such
as: Maundy Thursday, Tenebrae on Good Friday, Holy Saturday
prayer vigil, and the service of light on Easter morning. Some
churches might not use these titles for their services, but pay
attention to the focus of the services at the church you attend,
and you will likely find that all churches relive the stories of
Jesus’ last days and resurrection.
We cannot fully appreciate the joy of Easter
morning without taking the time to consider the sacrifice that
Christ made for us on the cross. This week I invite you to stop
the ordinary and mundane tasks that fill our days. Take some
time to connect with the everlasting God that has done great
things for us and for the world. Are we the ones weeping at the
foot of the cross or are we passer-bys that are too busy to look
up?
This week on campus, you will have several
opportunities to relive this great mystery.
- Real Deal-
Walking with Jesus to the cross- Wednesday, March 19 -
8:30-9:30 @ The Glasshouse
- Chapel- Tenebrae
Service- Thursday,
March 20 - 2:00-2:30 @ Hagan Chapel
