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Holy week reflections

He Is Risen!

Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Today is truly a glorious day! The dread of Friday is past, the silence of Saturday is shattered with amazing news. The hopes of Palm Sunday are restored, but made anew and entirely pure. Now is a time to celebrate the Risen Savior!

I’ve posted a reading (poem, prayer, hymn, whatever you’d like for it to be) from Celtic Daily Prayer. This devotional and prayer handbook seems to go everywhere with me these days. I hope you enjoy it and have a joyous Easter of celebration and worship.

Where is …

Random Thoughts,

Holy Week Reflections – Silent Saturday

Today is traditionally called Holy Saturday, Joyous Saturday, Great Saturday or Black Saturday.

Jesus is dead, buried, gone. God is mute, as Pete Greig said in his book. There is silence. Confusion. Fear.

A strange sense of nothingness permeates those who were close to Jesus and put their hope in Him. The disciples must be asking, “What happened?” Nothing made sense. No answers to their countless questions. According to the Gospel of Matthew, even Judas had killed himself before they could interrogate him.

For those who followed Jesus, there was no activity in the temple, in the courts, or on …

Random Thoughts,

Holy Week Reflections – Good Friday – The Cross

Today is Good Friday (or Great Friday, in the Orthodox tradition). Jesus is tried, executed, buried, and descends into hell. It’s a sham trial, of course. And a brutal death on the cross. I wrote more here about the descent into hell if you are interested.

The cross has always been inconvenient. Every skeptic has asked, “Why did Jesus have to die?” The truth is that every believer has asked the same question. There are answers to this question, of course. Some deeply theological, some simplistic answers you might offer a child. My favorite is from Hebrews 2, which says …

Random Thoughts,

Holy Week Reflections – Towel & Basin Thursday

Today is traditionally called Maundy Thursday and has focused on such things as the sleeping disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, the anxious Jesus praying fervently, and of course the Last Supper that Jesus had with His disciples. The Last Supper has become communion, a sacrament in the Church that reminds us of what Christ did for us. It is central to the Church no matter which denomination.

Even though the old word “maundy” can literally mean “washing”, you don’t see a lot of attention paid to the act of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples on Maundy …

Random Thoughts,

Holy Week Reflections – Thirty Pieces of Silver

Wednesday was the calm before the storm. Jesus continued to teach in the Temple and a few preparations were made for the Passover, but the day was uneventful otherwise. The Last Supper, the washing of the disciples feet, the prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, the arrest of Jesus … all tomorrow. On the surface, Wednesday was quiet.

Of course, it was not quiet at all. Evil men were plotting. The Sanhedrin wanted Jesus dead. The Pharisees agreed. Somebody went to the bank and pulled out some extra cash, thirty pieces of silver, just in case the opportunity for a …

D'Oliva Olive Oil, Random Thoughts,

Holy Week Reflections – Olive Tuesday

Jesus spent a lot of time in an olive orchard this week. What is often called “the Olivet Discourse” was probably a Tuesday evening discussion with His disciples, sitting together in the orchard as they viewed the Temple and busy city of Jerusalem across the valley.

Gethsemane is a spectacular setting and has one of the most photographed views in Israel. I was first there in 1975, staying in a hotel atop the Mount of Olives. A few years ago I returned again with my church. Though bustling with tourists and over developed to handle the crowds, the setting is …

Belize, PathLight, Random Thoughts, The SOLD Project,

Holy Week Reflections – Pigeon Monday

What did Jesus have against pigeons? Or more specifically, against pigeon traders? To kick off Holy Week, I though I’d share an idea.

On the Monday of Easter week Jesus entered the temple grounds and tore the place up. It was always one of my favorite Bible stories when I was a kid. The vision of the Messiah overturning tables, driving people out, blocking people from bringing anything through the temple … it was all so exciting compared to the meek and mild stuff I was told about Jesus in most Sunday School lessons. This was a God who would …