Happy Easter!

Jesus Christ, we greet you!
Your hands still have holes in them,
your feet are wet from the dew;
and with the memory of our names
undimmed by three days of death
you meet us,
risen from the grave.

We fail to understand how;
we puzzle at the reason why.

But you have come:
not to answer our questions,
but to show us your face.

YOU ARE ALIVE
AND THE WORLD CAN REJOICE AGAIN.
HALLELUJAH!
AMEN.

From:  Stages on the Way

Holy Saturday

Today we sit in vigil.  Christ is in the tomb, and we are waiting for him to appear.  Today we dwell on the sadness of Good Friday, but we remember, as the Psalmist wrote, "The joy comes with the morning."

Before we get there, though, we must remember, that for three days, the world was without Jesus.

To help us remember,  I offer the short Holy Saturday Service, offered in The New Handbook of the Christian Year, of which Hoyt L. Hickman is one of many fine editors.

Prayer

Merciful and ever-living God,
Creator of heaven and earth:
As the crucified body of your Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy day,
Grant that we may await with him the dawning
of the third day as he promised,
and rise with him in newness of life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 27:57-66

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, “After three days I will rise again.” Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, “He has been raised from the dead”, and the last deception would be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.' So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.

Response to the Word

In the midst of life we are in death;
from whom can we seek help?
From you alone, O Lord,
who by our sins are justly angered.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty,
Holy and merciful Savior,
Deliver us from the bitterness of eternal death.

Good Friday

Today is the day that we remember that day Christ was put on the cross.  We've been heading in this direction all week, just as Christ did.

To remember this day, when we were covered over with God's Grace through Jesus, we'll recount Christ's seven last words, which he said from the cross.  Each of the four Gospel's tell the story of Christ's Passion a little differently, and they all deserve their due, but today let's bring the passages together in their customary order.  Take your time reading through these scriptures and pray as you go.

I - Luke 23:34

Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.' And they cast lots to divide his clothing.

II - Luke 23:43

He replied, 'Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'

III - John 19:26-27

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, 'Woman, here is your son.'  Then he said to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.'  And form that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

IV - Mark 15:34

At three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'

V - John 19:28

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfill the scripture), 'I am thirsty.'

VI - John 19:30a

When Jesus had received the wine, he said, 'It is finished.'

VII - Luke 23:46

Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.'  Having said this, he breathed his last.


Let us pray:

The Word hung between heaven and earth
on a splintery cross. At the place where two wooden
beams intersected, sin and salvation also intersected.
It astonishes us—why would Christ do this?
The Word bled, shouted, and died.
He startled us—what kind of love is this?
The Word has broken our hearts.
The tragic sorrow marks our faces with shame.

Holy Thursday

On this day we meet with Christ, the one who came to serve, not to be served.

From the Gospel of John, chapter thirteen, verses one through seventeen and thirty-one through thirty-five:

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’

After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

The Word of God, for all people.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Let us confess:

Loving Christ,
on that night long ago,
you knew that your hour had come.
You knew full well what lay ahead of you.
Your disciples loved you and followed you,
but they had also failed you.
They would fail you yet again that night,
and one would betray you.
Yet you washed their feet, as a servant would.
even the feet of your betrayer.
We have also loved you and followed you.
We have also failed you,
and we cannot comprehend the love that you show us,
the love that is our example,
the love that tells us to do
as you have done for us.
May we be like you, Master, servants of all.
May all see how we long to be your faithful disciples.
May all see how we love each other,
just as you have loved us.
In your holy name we pray. Amen.

Holy Wednesday

The title at the top of this passage is "Jesus foretells his betrayal".  Once again, we meet Jesus in full knowledge of his earthly journey coming to a close and how it will happen. 

From the Gospel of John, chapter thirteen, verses twenty-one through thirty-two:

After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot.  After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’ Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the festival’; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.

The Word of God, for all people.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Please pray this prayer of confession:

Gracious God, you know our every sorrow, our every need. Hear us as we remember the times when our strength failed us, when our distress led us onto paths of hopelessness and despair. Forgive us when we betray you, when we deny you, when we deride you, or mock you.  Awaken in us a new resolve to be aware of your call and presence in our lives.  Help us stay awake, even when the days are hard and the nights are long. Strengthen us to trust in you and to walk with you, even on this path to the cross. Let your face shine upon us, that we may know your steadfast love and trust in your resurrection promises.  In Christ’s name, we pray.  Amen.

Holy Tuesday

Continuing our Holy Week prayer journey, we find Jesus, fresh off of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Defying the expectations of that crowd that has gathered (the people that would later shout 'Crucify him!'), Christ is honest and open about where his journey will take him.  At this point, the people working against Christ in the background are gathering strength.

From the Gospel of John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-one through thirty-six:

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus.’ Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour.

‘Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—“Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people^* to myself.’ He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?’ Jesus said to them, ‘The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.’

The Word of God, for all people.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Let us pray together:

We will remember the soothing,
and not forget the jarring.
We will remember the sweetness,
and not forget the sour.
We will remember the jagged desperateness of Judas,
and own it; it is our story too.

We will remember
the passion of love,
the smell of perfume,
the pain of rejection,
the stench of blood money.

And to help us on the journey,
to help us hold the tensions,
to help us face both the delight and the difficulty,
WE WILL SAY YES
to God's generosity in creation,
WE WILL SAY YES
to God's judgment poured out on humankind,
WE WILL SAY YES
to God's justice in Jesus. [from Stages on the Way]

Holy Monday

Though not commonly observed, there are lectionary texts for every day of Holy Week, where the Gospel readings follow Christ in his final days before the Cross. 

This Holy Week, I will simply post the Gospel passage for the day, and a prayer to help us as we work together to reflect on Christ's journey. 

As alluded to in the Gospel passages, in the days leading up to his crucifixion, Christ knows what is going to happen, and he has chosen to follow the path to the Cross, to pay the price for the salvation of the world.  That is a true and amazing love.

From the Gospel of John, the twelfth chapter, verses one through eleven:

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.

This is the word of God, for all people.  Thanks be to God.  Amen.

Please pray:

Almighty God,
  whose dear Son went not up to joy
    before he suffered pain,
  and entered not into glory,
    before he was crucified:
Mercifully grant that we,
  walking in the way of the cross,
  may find it the way of life and peace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
  who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
  one God, for ever.  Amen.  [from the Book of Common Prayer]