The Spirit of Holy Week
Throughout the history of the church, Holy Week has been celebrated as the final week of Lent leading into Easter. Most churches celebrate Holy Week in a variety of ways, often through Good Friday services and sometimes Maundy Thursday. This year at Redeemer, I had the unique experience of participating in Holy Week in a different manner than I have in the past. Growing up, Holy Week was emphasized in my church, which was always something I loved and appreciated. Yet, I feel that Redeemer does a uniquely good job of emphasizing the waiting and celebration of the week in a way I had not experienced before.
Holy Week consisted of Eucharist services Monday through Wednesday, then Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil (which was new to me), and finally Easter Sunday. Coming into Holy Week, I felt like I knew what to expect but was happily surprised by the deep impact it had on me and the transformative experience of waiting in a new way. The services throughout the week, which included Eucharist, were bold reminders of my daily sin and my failure to focus my longings and desires on the coming of Christ. They brought me lower and humbled me, allowing me to see that no matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do to “better” myself. By Wednesday, I began to realize that relying on God more fully would require a drastic change in how I viewed Holy Week.
Maundy Thursday was the peak of this humbling, as we took part in the washing of each other’s feet, just as Jesus did with His disciples during the Last Supper. However, the service did not impact me exactly as I had expected. That night, I listened to a podcast on fasting that reshaped my view of what it means to fast and how fasting can look distinctive for different people depending on their circumstances. With this fresh perspective, I chose to take part in a fast of my own type, aimed at refocusing my desires on God rather than the things of this world. During Friday, I was able to intentionally focus on desiring God deeply throughout the day in a way that felt different to me. This led me into Good Friday with a heavy heart and a renewed awareness of my need for constant desire and dependence on Him.
The Good Friday service was solemn and made the death of Jesus feel real. The atmosphere embraced His death and painted a powerful picture of the suffering He endured. Then, throughout Saturday, I had the chance to dwell on the reality of Jesus’ death and the beauty of God’s love for us through the sacrifice of His Son. That night, I had the opportunity to experience my first Easter Vigil. The service walked through the story of the Bible, using the arts to paint a picture of the story that we are invited to take part in. It built up to the celebration of the resurrection and the conquering of death. I truly felt the presence of God and experienced the impact of the resurrection in a novel and unique way.
Overall, Holy Week this year helped me reflect on my life and rediscover areas where I had not been fully relying on God or making Him my primary desire. It also reminded me that life requires constant growth and a continual embracing of truth to sanctify us more and more as we walk in faith. Holy Week at Redeemer is something I am already eager for next year and for many more to come. The reminders and rhythms of the week are something we all need as we strive to become more like Jesus. I am truly grateful for the experience of Holy Week and for the work of the Holy Spirit throughout each day, helping mold me to be more like the One who died for all.
Ben