Holy Week

Today marks the beginning of Holy Week. Over the years, I have come to cherish these seven days -- days when Christians are called to be particularly attentive to the gospel accounts of Jesus' final days. This morning in worship we presented a Reader's Theatre style interpretive reading from the Gospel of Matthew. We had some EXCELLENT readers that were willing to do some focused rehearsing and pour their hearts into the task. Thanks to the hard work of all involved, the people present were able to have the story Jesus come alive in a meaningful way.
So often it is easy to just skip from the pageantry of Palm Sunday to the joyous festivity of Easter without pausing to reflect on what happened in between. A few years ago, Mel Gibson gave us his cinematic interpretation of what might have happened between Palm Sunday and Easter. And while I would take issue with Mr. Gibson on a number of points about the movie, I do appreciate that his movie helped to raise awareness of the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.
Our understanding of Easter celebration is deeper and fuller when we take the time to reflect on the events that led up to God's doing a new thing in the resurrection. Human sinfulness caused the crucifixion -- humanity took God's love incarnate in Jesus of Nazareth and rejected God by crucifying Jesus. Our sinfulness caused the crucifixion and sitting with the guilt and discomfort of that knowledge is important to help us realize our need for God. In the face of the crucifixion I think God pondered long and hard if God wanted anything else to do with humanity. Easter Sunday answers that question with a powerful YES!
Yes! God seeks us out to be in relationship.
Yes! God loves us so much that God sends us back God's son in the resurrected Christ.
Yes! God still has grace, mercy, hope and love for this tragic, pain-filled world.
Yes! God says yes to us even in the face of our harshest "No."

May you have a blessed and meaningful Holy Week!