Holy Week

This is a very important week in the life of the church - Holy Week. The week began with Palm Sunday, will go through Jesus' last few days, his crucifixion on Good Friday, and then the resurrection on Easter Sunday.

I have always loved Palm Sunday. As a child, I can remember walking into the church, waving a palm branch and singing "Tell me the stories of Jesus." After having my own children, it has been so wonderful to see them walking down the church aisle and waving their palm branches. Palm Sunday is such a great day of celebration. Jesus is finally recognized as king, and the people of Jerusalem celebrate this. It's not really a grand parade - it's just a few score of people with some hastily clipped palm branches, a few cloaks on the roadway, and Jesus and a donkey. Jesus was never about glory and power - and this great day acknowledged that. Yet, when one remembers Palm Sunday - one can't help but feel that Jesus has finally arrived.

However, within a few days, everything had changed. Jesus had been arrested, tried for treason, and was awaiting his death. Most of his closest followers had deserted him, and only his mother, a couple women, and John were with him when he died. One Palm Sunday it seemed like the world was wide open, and within a few days it felt like the end of the world.

How often do we experience that? When have we felt ourselves on a mountaintop only to plunge into the darkest, deepest valley within a few days? Life is like that - we can go from great joy to great despair very quickly. It can seem like all is lost. It can feel like God is nowhere to be found.

As we go through those Good Fridays of our lives (and we all will, and more than once), it's important to keep the faith. It's vital that we remember that Easter Sunday is just around the corner - especially when it feels like the end of the world or that all is lost. During this Holy Week, go with Jesus through his Good Friday. Remember the times when God has seen you through the difficult places. Pray for those who are enduring those Good Fridays right now. And pray that we can all remember God's presence during those times.

From the darkest night, we have the assurance that Easter Sunday will always come.