The source of my questions can be found at ELCA.org
Word of Life
- Philippians 2:5-11
- The summary of the story of holy week is as follows: Jesus approaches the city, sending his disciples to fetch a colt who had never been ridden. He rides the colt into town and people lay down palm fronds and their cloaks before them. This eventually leads, following the night of the last supper, to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. From there, Pilate declares him innocent three times and still sends him to execution because of the desires of people. He is crucified. Died. And was buried. He rose again on the 3rd day.
- It’s hard to tell. I can’t say if I would have been a supporter or a defier of Jesus. It’s hard to tell how I would be changed by growing up in another place and another time that is so different from now. If I was transported as I am, I would be heartbroken. It hurts so much to see others hurt for so little reason.
- “To empty oneself” to me means to shed desire and other emotions. It’s incredibly difficult.
- While still being of divine origin, Jesus was mortal, able to die (despite being able to ultimately defy even death). This is what it means that he was “born in human likeness”. Human, but so much more.
- One needs to have faith that god’s plan included those things that caused pain and created challenge. God doesn’t wish to cause pain, but in the making of the world, pain seems to have been woven into the fabric. People harm each other without meaning to, harm themselves without meaning to… Part of growing in God is learning to do the least harm you can.
- I have so many questions about holy week, most of them stemming from the missing gospels and the fact that not all of the disciples have writings that remain to us. I would love to see the gospels through the eyes of some of the people who were not considered disciples, such as Mary Magdelene.
- Through the resurrection and the eternal place Jesus holds with us.
- I find mine in the resurrection. It is the light in the dark that makes holy week worth enduring. One must walk into darkness to truly appreciate the light.
Word Among Us
- This lent I’ve learned that I can overcome even my own physical weaknesses if I only push myself.
- In previous years, and since I and Paul become a couple, I haven’t been able to devote myself so fully to Lent. This lent I didn’t miss many services and feel as though I have heard more of the story in the original words than ever before. I have seen glimpses of Christ that I have never seen before.
- I adore the “Last Supper Drama” that my church preforms close to every other year. In it men of the church take on the roles of the various disciples (and one stands in place of Jesus) in the poses of the painting “The Last Supper” by Da Vinci. The disciples make speeches talking their relationship to Jesus. I enjoy it so greatly that I participate by running the lights for the event!
Faith Practices in Daily Life
You can set aside time for holy week either by making arrangements in advance with work, or by simply setting aside time to read and reflect on your own. Not everyone is as lucky as I am, and self employed and able to rearrange my schedule to ensure that I can experience as much of holy week as possible.