Holy Cow! Its Holy Week!

View from a Pew

By Sue Robbins

Very often when you see pictures accompanying the words “Easter Sunday,” you’ll see some kind of drawing or photograph of a sunrise — pink and blue clouds, rays of the sun, all hinting at something large and life-affirming just over the horizon.

A sunrise is a terrific metaphor for the resurrection story of Jesus.  Like a brand new day, the Easter message is one of new hope, new perspective and wondrous possibility. {jathumbnail off}

For workers in the church, the sunrise pictures are inspiring and lovely — but the reality can feel more like an approaching storm.  Along about the fourth Sunday of Lent, church leaders start to hear the rumblings in the distance, and they know that the lovely, peaceful Lenten period of prayer and reflection is ending.  Holy Week is coming (faint rumble…there it is, again…louder…) and with it comes a seriously intense period of spiritual and physical activity.

Palm Sunday! Maundy Thursday! Good Friday!  Easter Sunday!  Every event calls for deep thought and prayer and planning.

Inevitably, the rumblings are heard by the congregation as well, usually in the form of creative bursts of energy and gifts.  As we begin to outfit ourselves with new Easter hats and new clothes, we members look around at our church and say, “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if we could spruce up that space over there in time for Easter!”   And suddenly in the midst of planning worship events and services, the building is overrun with workmen and ladders and pounding activity!  The storm is upon us, and it’s a wild ride!

Holy Week, by definition and design, is supposed to be difficult and dynamic, full of struggle and insight.  I knew a minister who used to say that you had be with Jesus on Maundy Thursday — at the last supper and, later, in the garden — to truly be with Him on Easter Sunday.   Thankfully, even as I write this, the storm is already passing (as all storms do), and the enduring image of Easter 2011 will be the resurrection sunrise.  

Easter Sunday is coming!  See the light spread across the land!   And see us at the door of our “newly-spruced” church, lovingly and enthusiastically greeting each other in the time-honored way of Christians on this, our most joyous holiday:

“He is Risen!” 

 “He is Risen, Indeed!”