A Journey Through Holy Week

Dear siblings in Christ,
         As we continue our journey through Lent, heading towards Holy Week, we are reminded of the profound love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The events of Holy Week has a way of encompassing the heart of the Christian faith, from the jubilant entry of Psalm Sunday, to the call of servanthood on Maundy Thursday, to the sorrow of Good Friday all the way to the joy of Easter which altogether calls us to live out the love of Christ in the world today. In our world today, where so much of it is marked by pain, division, and injustice, Holy Week offers us a powerful invitation to  embody and share God’s love and grace in tangible ways. 
        Palm Sunday is a call to justice and peace. As we wave our palm branches and celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we are reminded that Jesus’ kingdom is not one of power and domination, but of justice, peace, and compassion. In a time when it seems that the cries for justice and peace are so often drowned out by the noise of partisan political polarization, narrow sighted nationalistic ways of thinking and conflict in general, Palm Sunday invites us to stand with the oppressed, the marginalized, the voiceless, and the dehumanized in our communities. We are called to be peacemakers, to speak out against injustice, and to live as advocates for all God’s people, particularly those suffering from systemic inequalities. After all, Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem was a form of nonviolent protest against the earthly powers that be of his time.  
        Maundy Thursday is a command to serve. On Maundy Thursday, Jesus models servant leadership by washing his disciples’ feet and instituting the commandment to love one another. “Love one another as I have loved you,” he said (John 13:34). In this act of love, Jesus calls us to humble ourselves in service to others. In today’s world, this means not only serving those who are physically or spiritually in need but also addressing the various and deep divides that separate us from one another. Whether through local outreach programs, acts of kindness, or advocacy for the    vulnerable, Maundy Thursday challenges us to go beyond ourselves and to serve others in the most humble and     compassionate ways, to not just give of our money but to also give of our time and bodies, out of the love that God first gave us through Jesus. 
        Good Friday is a call to stand in solidarity with suffering. Good Friday is a stark reminder of the suffering and pain that Jesus endured on the cross. He truly knew the human experience of suffering and we know suffering is still all too present in our world. From ongoing conflicts around the globe to the struggles within our own communities, Good Friday calls us to stand with those who are hurting. It calls us to acknowledge the deep wounds of injustice, violence, and poverty that continue to permeate within the systems in place impacting so many. As a community, we are invited to walk alongside those who are suffering, offering a presence of love, comfort, and solidarity. Let us  remember that as we carry the cross with Christ not to suffer for the sake of suffering but for the sake of our neighbors, we are called to enter into those moments and spaces to help carry and lighten the burdens of others. 
        Easter is a call to hope and resurrection in a Hurting World. Easter brings with it the hope of resurrection and the promise that even in the darkest moments, God is at work bringing new life and transformation. In the face of the tragedies and heartaches we encounter, the Easter message reminds us that love, grace, and hope will have the final word. We are a resurrection people, called to bring light into the darkness, to share hope with the hopeless, and to work toward healing and renewal for all people, no if’s and’s or but’s, throughout our communities and the world. As we celebrate Easter this year, let us consider how we too can be bearers of this resurrection hope. Whether it’s through speaking out against injustice, providing care for those in need, working for systemic change in our communities, or just by sitting with someone going through a hard time. The hope of the resurrection challenges us to live with boldness, sharing and showing God’s love near and far, trusting that God’s love transforms the world. 
        Let us live lives with a Holy Week kind of faith. In a world where fear, hatred, division, and violence dominate the headlines, the message of Holy Week remains as radical and relevant as ever. It calls us to act out of love, to seek justice, to be in solidarity with those most often pushed to the margins and overlooked, and to work for peace and  healing in our world. Whether through small acts of kindness or larger attentiveness to social justice issues, we are   invited to live in ways that reflect the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As we enter Holy Week this year, let us renew our commitment to sharing and showing God’s love throughout our community and the world. Let us offer compassion where there is cruelty, justice where there is oppression, and hope where there is despair. Together, we can be witnesses to the power of God’s love through Christ, bringing hope, light, and love to a world in need.
God’s Peace, 
Pastor Tamara Siburg