“I am the Resurrection and the Life”
Our Holy Week observances, in many ways, mirror the gamut of the human experience. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem, could be compared to the times when we feel successful and on top of the world. The quiet days of reflecting and instructing the disciples are parallel to the occasions of departures and good-byes, as significant changes take place in the lives of those dear to us.
With the arrival of Maundy Thursday, Jesus and the disciples gathered to observe the Jewish holiday of Passover, but the tradition was soon changed. By humbly washing their feet, Jesus demonstrates how to live in servanthood to all people. The institution of the Lord’s Supper, the body broken and the blood shed, in the bread and wine eloquently brings us to the reality of Christ’s sacrifice.
Good Friday is filled with darkness and sorrow. For those who loved Jesus, seeing him in agony on the cross, their heartbreak is nearly palpable. None of us can avoid loss and grief, and looking for hope at these times can feel nearly impossible. Then the suffering is over, the life drains from the body of the man, Jesus, and, as he said, “It is finished.”
Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, was a day of quiet grief, as the followers tried to grasp the reality of what had occurred, clinging to one another in shock and disbelief. Whether loss takes place on the level of the 9/11 attacks, or a beloved family member quietly slips away, there is sorrow, anger, despair, and fear. No doubt Jesus’ followers felt these emotions, as the one who gave them a sense of purpose, who had taught them and led them into a new life, was now gone.
And then we come to the first day of the week, when the Sabbath restrictions are lifted, and the women go to the garden tomb to minister to Jesus’ earthly remains. The atmosphere is somber and quiet, and then suddenly there’s activity and excitement. We hear that the space is empty, that the women have heard an amazing message from an angel, and then how the disbelieving disciples race to the grave, wondering if Christ had indeed risen from the dead. But these followers are so stunned they don’t know what to do, and they appear to be unable to process what they have seen and heard.
That first Easter was a day of confusion, uncertainty, and, a little later, recalling Jesus’ teachings of his own death and resurrection. It was also the first of days of revelation and overwhelming joy, as these men and women were visited by the risen Christ, returned to them from the dead.
On Easter morning, along with Christians around the world and echoing across the centuries, the joyful words will ring out: “Christ is Risen! Allelulia!” We are blessed with the faith that has been shared with us throughout our lives, the confidence that our sins have been washed away, that Christ has won the battle over death and we, too, will share eternal life with him.
I Know That my Redeemer Lives!
Mary Rogers