This year has been an important one for standing up for the message of love and justice that Jesus came to bring, a message that has been twisted so often by people doing evil in Jesus’ name in our world. I know all of you make that message of love and justice manifest in so many ways in your lives- through your words, actions, service, and advocacy. Many of us have tried on or leaned into new ways of bearing public witness to that message over the course of the last year: organizing with neighbors, participating in protests, building communities and systems that can protect the vulnerable.
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was, in part, a public demonstration, a mockery of the power of empire. Roman leaders would march into Jerusalem before Passover, knowing that the memory and knowledge of God’s liberating power would be strong at that time. What unfolded in the week following that public demonstration is the story that is at the heart of our faith, that tells us what happens and how God acts in the face of the cruelty of oppressive forces.
Part of the reason we have the liturgies of Holy Week is so that we can not just hear this story but also live it: to experience it with our senses and travel through it with our bodies. We “re-member” these stories and God’s action in them by participating in these liturgies- we remake them in a sacred way, we become a part of them, and they become a part of us. They will help us to recognize God’s action in the world around us, and give us the strength and courage we need to live in a time where cruel and oppressive forces are at work.
If this sounds a little intense—well, I guess it is. One of the things we have noticed is that sometimes we need the chance to dip our toes into these big spiritual experiences, before diving in all the way. Eliza and others have created an opportunity for people of all ages to do just that, with our Holy Week Sneak Peek on Sunday at 9:30 (and also after the 10:30 service, if you don’t make it that early). There will be a table for each day of Holy Week, and a guide that tells you what to expect at church those days (including parts that you can touch or smell or taste), and also ways to remember these days at home, if you’re traveling or just not ready to come this year.
At our service this Sunday, we’ll hear the story of Holy Week. Celebrating “Passion Sunday” the week before Palm Sunday gives us the chance to let Palm Sunday stand on its own, along with the rest of the Holy Week liturgies.
I hope you’ll come be a part of it.
—Rev. Anne