A Week Called "Holy" by The Rev. Hartshorn Murphy The word "holy" means "set aside" for God's use. To say that our sanctuary is a "holy place" is to acknowledge that it is set aside as a place used primarily−although not exclusively−for a godly purpose: for worship. Occasionally but rarely, other activities take place in that space: meetings or concerts−but requests to use the church, for example, for a cabaret would be denied as an incompatible use. The week we as Christians designate as "holy" is so called because the events of Jesus' last week on earth were events in which God was made manifest to humankind in powerful ways. And so, historically, the Church had chosen to "re-enact" this week so that we as God's people might experience the power of these events anew. In a sense, liturgy invites us to go "in spirit" with Jesus up to Jerusalem; to enter the city as a pilgrim, to sit at the table with him and try to stay awake in the garden, to stand grieving and fearful at the cross and to experience the terror of the sealed tomb; and finally to be filled with awe and wonder at his resurrection. Liturgy is an invitation to each one of us to be, in our imaginations, the 13th apostle. This year, unlike more recent years, we will not be joining St. Paul's Lutheran Church for worship but will rather gather as St. A's community for the last week of Jesus' life. We will speak in more detail about each of the liturgies of holy week in our Lenten Series but I would urge each of us to consider attending all of the worship of this week; to, with intention, journey with Jesus. Here is a summary of our itinerary. Palm Sunday (March 16th). This Sunday is often called the Sunday of the Passion because it is customary to read the Passion Gospel−the story of the crucifixion−on this Sunday along side the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. As Jesus entered the sacred city for the Feast of the Passover, pilgrims stripped palm branches from the trees and proclaimed Jesus as their King. This Sunday is thus a bit "schizophrenic" because it must carry two major themes and we read two gospel narratives: the triumphal entry and the crucifixion. The reason for this is because people will not, it is presumed, attend Good Friday worship in significant numbers and thus need to hear the story of Jesus' death the Sunday before, to make sense of Easter (the Sunday of the Resurrection). And so we are asked to watch Jesus die on Palm Sunday, have a Last Supper with a living Jesus on Thursday and then see him be executed again on Friday. This year we will omit the Passion Gospel reading and instead linger with the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Why did Jesus chose to come into the city in such a provocative manner? Why did the peasants strip the trees (and some their clothing) to hail him as God's anointed one? Why are we in that ragtag band of pilgrims flooding into Jerusalem with Jesus and what do we expect him to do? Wednesday, March 19, we will gather at 7:30 p.m. for a service of meditation and prayer in the style of the French monastery of Taize. We will sing the simple chants developed by that community especially appropriate for holy week in a candlelit service of quiet reflection. Our harpist, Paul Baker, will be with us for this worship experience. Thursday, March 20th at 7:30 p.m., we will commemorate the Last Supper as recorded in the Gospel of John in which Jesus humbled himself to wash his disciples' feet. At this service, the clergy−Laura and I −invite you to come and allow us, as your ministers, to wash your feet. Ordained leaders in the Church need to be reminded that they are called to be servants just as Christ came not to be served but to serve. No one will be forced to have their feet washed but we will assuredly be asked to ponder Jesus' challenge to Peter who refused to allow his Master to wash him like a lowly house-slave. "Peter said to Him, 'You shall never wash my feet!' Jesus answered him, 'If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.' Simon Peter said to him, 'Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.'" John 13:8-9 Laura and I look forward to offering this humble and yet powerful symbol of Christian service to you on Maundy Thursday (the word means "mandatory" from Jesus' "new commandment" (or mandate) that his disciples love one another as he loved them). The congregation will not be asked to wash each other. Following a brief Eucharist, we will strip and wash the altar; symbolizing the preparation of a tomb for a burial and then we will sit in the Chapel for an hour as Jesus asked his disciples to stand sentry-watch for an hour while he prayed. Each person is asked to bring cut flowers to the worship to place on the chapel altar to make of it a Gethsemane Garden. Paul Baker will be our musician for this service. Good Friday, March 21 at 12 noon and 7:30 p.m. (identical services). On Good Friday, we hear the Passion Gospel about the trial and execution of Jesus. We will walk with Jesus the Way of Sorrows: his journey from the Jewish Sanhedrin's interrogation to Pilate's judgment throne through the streets of Jerusalem and up to Golgotha (the "place of the Skull.") We will be offered the opportunity to reverence the image of Christ on the Cross. As is appropriate to the solemnity of this day, songs will be sung without accompaniment. Following both services, there will be an opportunity to make a sacramental confession (see the Book of Common Prayer page 447). Holy Saturday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. This year, we will be doing something new. In years past, we have imitated the practice of the primitive Church in keeping Vigil. The Early Church would typically gather at sundown Saturday for prayer, scripture reading, exposition and exhortation, the singing of hymns and spiritual songs; which would go on until Sunday sunrise, at which time, new initiates into the faith would be baptized and the Eucharist would be celebrated (the Feast of Resurrection.) In years past, we have gathered at 10:30 p.m. in darkness and quiet to await the "new day", celebrating Eucharist at midnight (Easter Day). Such a celebration presumes a critical mass to be most effective but unlike the Christmas midnight mass, Easter Eve simply does not draw a crowd. It's time to try something new. What are we commemorating? Is it not the vigil of the handful of faithful women who, when the male disciples fled in fear, went to Joseph of Arimathea's tomb and prayed? Is it not the story, found in Matthew, that Jesus' spirit went to the place of all spirits, the Underworld ("Sheol" in Hebrew) and freed the spirits held captive there? (Matthew 27:50-54). So should we not also, like the faithful women, gather at the Tomb of Jesus and pray for our beloved dead; naming those who have died so that they may know that they are not forgotten? This newly created service is simply called "At the Tomb" and will conclude with an anointing and laying on of hands for healing−healing of any human brokenness−that we might enter into Easter joy on Sunday morning−freed and whole. Paul Baker will be our musician for this worship as on Wednesday and Thursday. Easter Sunday, March 23rd−one service at 10:30 a.m. with the annual Easter Egg Hunt at 9:45 for children. Full choir and organ will accompany the singing of the traditional Easter hymns. This Holy Week, you are invited and encouraged to attend midweek worship in addition to the Sundays of Palm Sunday and Easter. This invitation is a gift. A rich spiritual gift as we walk with Jesus through those events of his last week on earth. Surely there were pilgrims who entered Jerusalem for Passover with great frivolity and even playfulness, hailing the ignomatic Galilean rabbi as "King." During this week, they worked and shopped and played and prayed and went through their daily lives. They likely heard that the vicious Romans had crucified several rebels. One rumor−evil gossip no doubt−said that Jesus got caught up in the "troubles" (more the pity if he did). Wise pilgrims knew to stay well away when the Romans gave vent to their violence: stay indoors, keep your head down and stay safe. As Sunday morning sun rises, it is time to depart for home. The Sabbath has ended and the long night has passed. The feast was consumed and God did not, in his wisdom, choose to free Israel from her enemies again this Passover and so the caravan forms with fond words of farewell: "Next year in Jerusalem!" we cry. Some Galilean women- hysterical or demon possessed −claim that that self same Jesus who indeed died as an insurrectionist and a rebel, in fact is alive again. Now what in the world can all that be about? Surely nothing good can come out of this Will you accept this invitation to accompany Jesus; to be, this year, a disciple rather than simply a pilgrim? Copyright © 2008 St. Augustine by-the-Sea
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