Entering Holy Week

       Yesterday we began the most significant week of the year for followers of Jesus - what we call Holy Week.   From the many "Hosannas" sung in churches for Palm Sunday to the joyful songs celebrating the empty grave next weekend, those who claim the name of Christ will experience the entire gamut of emotions - if we choose to fully engage.  I have always treasured the contrast of the Good Friday experience to the bookends of Palm Sunday and Easter.  Right in the middle of raucous joy stands the darkest of days, when the sun disappeared at 3:00 in the afternoon and the curtain of the temple was dramatically torn in two.
        Pastors and arts leaders hold the profound privilege of creating opportunities for our congregations to immerse themselves in the story of redemption.  We usher in the contrasts of light and dark, despair and hope, death and LIFE.  This year at our church we will gather to reflect on Good Friday and participate in the sacrament of communion in two identical services that evening.  I will be leading the communion portion.  My good friend Greg Ferguson crafted a beautiful telling of the story, focused on the events of the Last Supper, the Garden, the arrest and the crucifixion of Jesus.  Greg skillfully wove poetic words, evocative music, and images to reveal in a fresh and, I believe, very moving way the price Christ paid for our sins and why.  People will sense how audacious God's grace and love are for them as an individual when they reflect on these key lines penned by Greg:
        One thing you must remember
        When my blood spills
        When my body's cracked in two
        It's for you...
        It's for you...
        I have some personal habits on Holy Week that help me to physically feel the wonder of the contrasts.  Leading up to Easter, I try to make room for quiet, to limit my intake of food, and to avoid a sense of celebration. When Easter morning dawns, I feel the excitement of the women who rejoiced at the empty tomb, and the urge to party with my church and family is tremendous (plus I get to eat a lot again!).  I also track the events of the week in my personal Scripture reading.  These are simply practices that have worked for me to get my soul in a good place to fully experience the wonder of Holy Week.  I'm curious to know what you have found to be helpful as you walk through these days each year. And I send out a special blessing and honor to all of you who give so much of your time, creativity, and heart so that others will know the wonder of this story and receive it in a new way.