HOLY WEEK Devotionals
PALM SUNDAY
Reading
1 Corinthians 2.12: ‘the Spirit that is from God so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God’
Thought
We are tempted to think that we know our own gifts and those of others, but this is a salutary reminder that ‘the rulers of the age’ (verse 8) thought themselves wise in crucifying Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the crowds who came out to wave banners and shout ‘hosanna’ on Palm Sunday quickly abandoned Jesus on Good Friday. Let us take some time in Holy Week to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us again, and lead us in grateful humility to see again our gifts and the gifts of those around us.
Question for Reflection
What do you think God loves most about you and why?
Prayer
Come, Holy Spirit and lead us to the place that we cannot find in our own wisdom, the Father’s heart. Amen.
MONDAY IN HOLY WEEK
Reading
Lamentations 1.12a: ‘Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?’
Thought
It has become very easy to ‘pass by’ the suffering of others; Jesus tells a parable, the Good Samaritan, about just that human capacity to excuse ourselves from caring too deeply about others in need. We justify our callousness in all kinds of ways. This week we are faced again with the reality that God does not ‘pass by’ human suffering; God does not use the many excuses available: our sinfulness, our ingratitude, the multiple opportunities we have already been offered for repentance. Instead, God sees our trappedness and our desperation and comes to break it open and fill it with God’s grace, mercy, salvation, presence.
Question for Reflection
When was the last time you are aware of ‘passing by’ the suffering of another, or of feeling that others passed you by in your need? Bring the memories to the cross for transformation.
Prayer
Merciful Lord, give us again your compassion and mercy, and as we receive them from you, let us share them with others. Amen.
TUESDAY IN HOLY WEEK
Reading
Lamentations 3.1-2: “I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light”
Thought
We are reminded afresh that our sufferings point towards Christ’s, of whom these words were ultimately true. In his earthly cross-headed life he showed that he knows them (Heb 5:7-8), bears them (Is 53:4), and redeems them in the sovereignty of his salvation (Rom 8:17). Conversely however he invites us to experience the fellowship of his sufferings (Phil 3:10), which transforms them without necessarily obliterating them, giving suffering meaning and hope in a deeper identification with the one who suffers with and for us.
Question for Reflection
In a year of such wide-spread suffering and death, can we offer this to Jesus and trust in his mysterious, transforming love to bring us hope?
Prayer
Lord, you came from glory to share our suffering, and to raise us from death to life: in these days of Holy Week, we lay our suffering at your cross and await your merciful judgement and transforming life. Amen.
WEDNESDAY IN HOLY WEEK
Reading
Psalm 102.12-13: ‘But you, O Lord, shall endure for ever and your name through all generations.’
Thought
In this morning’s lectionary readings we experience the pivot of two different uses of ‘but’. Our gospel reading has Peter round the fire after Jesus’ arrest. As he is recognised and people try to draw out the truth of his identity, he resists: ‘But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” (Luke 22:54-71) This is the ‘but’ of our broken humanity, of our anxiety in the face of our call to courage, our doubt in the face of the call to faith. Our Old Testament readings remind us of another ‘but’ which tells a bigger story. ‘My days fade away like a shadow, and I am withered like grass,’ says the psalmist, ‘But you, O Lord, shall endure for ever and your name through all generations.’ (Ps 102:12-13). With the writer of Lamentations we can say ‘But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.’ Here we sense God’s great reversal of our brokenness, the rumours of resurrection. God speaks his ‘but’ over and to us, whatever our circumstances.
Question for Reflection
As we lay before God all the ‘buts’ that we are ashamed of, can we let the Holy Spirit speak God’s great reversal over us?
Prayer Lord, speak forgiveness over us for all the times we have said ‘but’ and failed to trust you. Lead us in the power of the Spirit towards your resurrection life. Amen.
THE TRIDUUM
Definition
The events of Holy Week - and especially the three days of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday (the ‘Triduum’) – are themselves a seamless robe. Events we often think of as stepping stones on the way to the Cross and Resurrection are part of a wider and more connected whole. Every thing that Jesus says and does in these three days reveals to us something of the depths of the mystery of our salvation. Even what he does not say and does not do reveal something of those depths, his silence in the face of Pilate’s question, his refusal to participate in the cycle of violence. He humbles himself in washing our feet. He lays down the life that would be taken from him, and he gives it to us afresh in bread and wine. He is arrested. He enters into solidarity with all victims of injustice. He dies for us. He rises again. He offers us his body and his blood and calls us into his Church, into Communion with him, as a risen, Spirit-filled people called to do likewise, to celebrate the mysteries of our salvation and be sent out to proclaim this good news.
MAUNDY THURSDAY
Reading
Luke 23.9: Herod ‘questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer’
Thought
Jesus’ refusal to participate in his trial, to defend or justify himself, is striking and multi-layered. It suggests that he does not expect that anything he says will make any difference: this is an unjust trial. It suggests that he knows Pilate and Herod are not interested in truth, only expediency. Above all, it suggests he does not recognise the authority of this court, knowing true judgement comes from God alone.
Question for Reflection
Are there areas of your own life where you need to recognise that only the judgement of God matters?
Prayer Lord, forgive us for our longing to justify ourselves and teach us greater dependence upon the Father’s judgement. Amen.
GOOD FRIDAY
Reading
John 18.36: ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over’
Thought
This is the lesson we seem to find impossible to learn: as we watch Jesus being mocked, tortured and crucified, we are seeing him as our King, in all his power. He will not be defined by anything except his own calling and mission. No one has any power to change him or bend him to their will. Freely, even in bitter pain, he unites himself to his fallen, sinful, broken people. This is our King.
Question for Reflection
Where do you need to allow King Jesus to overrule other authorities in your life?
Prayer
Lord, teach us your love for the broken world, and lead us to those who suffer pain, injustice, oppression and betrayal, that we may comfort one another in the shadow of your cross. Amen.
HOLY SATURDAY
Reading
John 2.19 : ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up’
Thought
The temple was the great symbol of God’s gracious presence; God, creator of all, yet came to dwell here with God’s people. Jesus, God’s presence with us in the intimacy of our humanity, lies in the tomb, the temple to the death we have made for him. But already, God’s life is at work, God’s presence pouring out of the tomb, never to leave us or forsake us, ever.
Question for Reflection
Are there hopes for your Christian life that you believe are laid away in the tomb, beyond all resurrection? Can you give them into the living hands of Jesus Christ?
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, you entered into the tomb so that even death cannot separate us from your presence and power. We pray for all those who have lost loved ones this year, that they may find consolation in knowing that in you, we are not parted. Amen.
EASTER SUNDAY
Reading
2 Corinthians 5.18: ‘All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation’
Thought
God has refused to be at enmity with us; God will not be driven away by our hatred, hostility, ignorance, fear. In Christ, God has used our every action to draw us home. God’s great work of reconciliation blazes out of the tomb and floods every interaction between God and humanity; this is the power of God that nothing can overcome.
Question for Reflection
Have you truly accepted that you are beloved and forgiven, despite everything?
Prayer
Crucified and risen Lord, you embrace us in the invincible power of your life and love: send us out to be reconcilers, forgiving as we have been forgiven. Amen.