Stroll through Scripture for Holy Week, 2024

Holy Week is my favorite week of the entire church year. It’s got it all jammed into this week — unique services, a depth in the story we don’t get the rest of the year, quite literally facing death and Jesus overing it, intrigue, doubt, complexity, uncertainty, vulnerability, complicated relationships, the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. It has it all and more.

In this week’s Stroll through Scripture I’m going to briefly look at the Narrative Lectionary assigned texts for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. If no one has already said this, I invite you to go to these services (and especially the Easter Vigil if one is available to you). I think we miss a lot when we jump from the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and skip over to the victory over death on Easter Sunday. Dining with Jesus and having our feet washed and told by Jesus to love one another all while he is about to be betrayed is powerful (Maundy Thursday). Walking with Jesus on his way to crucifixion and seeing what death attempts to do is disarming (Good Friday). Hearing the whole story of God’s love for creation in spite of humanity’s continual rejection since the beginning opens us to new possibilities and encounters from God (Easter Vigil). If we aren’t hearing and seeing what Jesus is conquering, then can we appreciate what resurrection is really about? Can we even scratch the surface?

Maundy Thursday — Mark 14:22–42