Holy Week

The Sixth Sunday of Lent

Today is Palm Sunday, and the beginning of Holy Week. This week memorializes the final days of Jesus, remembering significant events of the Passion.

Palm Sunday - an observation of the day Jesus enters Jerusalem among waving palms and sweet hosannas, while at the same time alerting the Romans that he is gathering followers and may be seditious

Maundy Thursday - an observation of the Last Supper, and the betrayal of Jesus. Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum (from which we get our English word mandate), from a verb that means "to give" or "to order."

Good Friday - an observation of the crucifixion and death of Jesus. This day is thought to have been originally called "God Friday" but over time came to be known as "Good Friday" instead, although the reason for the change is not completely clear. Tenebrae is the Latin word for "shadows" or "darkness." A Tenebrae service can be celebrated on other days in Holy Week as well.

Holy Saturday - an observation of Jesus' time in the tomb prior to resurrection.

It is interesting to me that we call this week Holy Week. While on one hand, this is so obvious - I mean, these are some of the most intense events in Scripture, leading up to the primary theological celebration of the church. It is holy because it is about Jesus. But on the other hand, we need to take pause, as there may be another level as well. It is interesting that the church makes the connection between the holy, and the hardships. By calling this tragic week holy, by calling it good, we are also saying something larger. We are saying that through suffering, there may be great gifts.

As I write this, all my warning lights are on. I would never choose to suffer - the mere sound of the word is difficult to hear. I would also never chalk someone's despair up to "taking one for the team" or "all in God's will." I am not at all sure of that. I have some big questions for God on this kind of thing. When I explore the other side of suffering though, I think that sometimes, maybe even many times, it can loan us some genuine feelings of compassion. It can, it seems, intensify our love and direction.

Again, I wouldn't chose it. But if it has chosen me, there may be a point where I can find a gift in it. An archaeological dig of refuse might have to occur to discover it, but it lends me hope in dark days that somewhere, somewhere, somewhere there may be a pearl in the oyster.

My friend Jennifer shared a song with me last year that I keep thinking of during Lent. It is a song by Third Day called "Tunnel." I think some of the lyrics really relate to this hope, and I am singing it more fervently in these days:
Well I won't pretend to know what you're thinking
And I can't begin to know what you're going through
And I won't deny the pain that you're feeling
But I'm gonna try and give a little hope to you
Just remember what I told you
There's so much your living for
There's a light at the end of this tunnel
There's a light at the end of this tunnel for you
For you
There's a light at the end of this tunnel
Shining bright at the end of this tunnel for you
For you
So keep holding on
You got your disappointments and sorrows
You ought to share the weight of that load with me
Then you will find that the light of tomorrow
Well it brings new life for your eyes to see
So remember what i told you
There's so much you're living for

We have walked through Lent and explored its dark corners, and there are the darkest days ahead. But there is also a tremor of light at those corners, weeping through slats to get out. So, we try to keep singing, even when our voices are cracking, because our greatest hope is that there is light at the end of this tunnel. It is not Easter yet, but there is a powerful longing of something about to break open even as our hearts are breaking in two.

In Wisdom,
Brandi Calhoun Diamond

For more information on Holy Week, please visit:
http://www.cresourcei.org/cyholyweek.html