A Week of Holy

For Western Christians (even those from not-very-liturgical traditions), this week is Holy Week, in which we remember the days that led up to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Over at The High Calling, they ran a series of posts on observing Holy Week. Laura Boggess reflects on at “a week of holy”:

A week of little deaths, that’s what Holy Week is for us, and I think I understand why the Orthodox Church calls the season of Lent the Bright Sadness.Celebration and mourning take turns to stir deep places, and eyes are opened to the truth that we cannot follow Christ and remain unchanged.

During Lent I want to burrow away—hide in books and words and prayer. But I know on this journey—especially in this last week—I will need these people. I need these people who stand beside me now lifting the leafy fingers of palm fronds. I need to clasp their hands tight and enter into this with strong arms holding me. For…am I not the one who—after waving these palms in exultation—will so quickly turn in anger? Am I not the one who will deny and betray the Lover of My Soul? We enter into Holy Week knowing the end of the story—the great joy of reconciliation. Yet we also know there is no way to Sunday except through Good Friday. There is nothing for it except the walking through.

Read the whole article here.