Friends

Once more, we have come through Holy Week. We have journeyed with Jesus through the East Gate as the crowds gathered round donkey and colt to wave palms, to lay down their cloaks, to cry “Hosannah to the Son of David!” We have entered the courts of the Temple and experienced the terrible anger of Jesus as he over-turned the tables of money-changers and animal-sellers and we have hoped that it will never be said of us: “It is said that my house shall be called the house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” We have heard Jesus’ authority challenged and witnessed the decision of Judas to betray him. We have heard the words “This is my body broken for you, do this as often as you eat it in remembrance of me” for the very first time and reflected as the Master knelt to wash feet and have been inspired again to love one another, as Christ has loved us. We have sung our hymns and gone out into the night to the garden and witnessed Jesus plead with his Father that “if there is another way, let this cup be taken from me” and we too have hoped that in the end, we would have said with Jesus, “Yet not my will, but thine be done.” We have fallen asleep whilst Jesus prayed and we have followed the betrayed Son of God to the courtyard of the High Priest’s house only to deny him as he is condemned by the Sanhedrin. We have watched Pilate wash his hands and followed Jesus down the Via Dolorosa to the very foot of the cross, have watched the soldiers dice for his clothing and as he died we have wondered at his request to God, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Our hearts have been torn by the great cry “Eloi, eloi, lema sabachthani?” and “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” In the end, we too have said, “Surely, this man was the Son of God” and in that moment it was as if we were the only one to have ever thought it. It is finished.

Now, everything begins. The hill on which thieves and perfection hung side by side is silent. The cross lies empty to the sky. The stone is rolled away. Soldiers are allowed to say they had slept on watch without punishment. Angels are seen. Women, entering the tomb to wash and prepare the body find the place empty, the winding cloths in place, the head wrap folded and laid where we, night after night, position our pillows. Mary has seen our Lord in the garden. The world has changed. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

God bless,

Vicci