The Horror of Holy Week

This is the week of Jesus' Passion. On Friday of this week, we remember the death of Jesus on the cross. But we also remember all those who were together with him in the last days. We try to put ourselves in the disciples' shoes during what was certainly the darkest period of their lives.

Through the Scriptures, we will play the part of Jesus' followers as they fall asleep, betray, deny, flee, despair, and generally fail to "get it". With God's help we will imagine what it was like for them to watch their king, their savior, be arrested, whipped, humiliated, stripped naked, crowned with thorns, and hammered to a wooden cross. ... It's reasonable to ask, "If this is Holy Week, what would an unholy week look like?"

The horror of holy week is a stumbling block to the Jews, even for Jesus' own followers. They stumbled on the fact that this "King" was killed by the Romans when he was supposed to be conquering them! Instead of taking the throne, he was nailed to a tree, and forever cursed by it, they thought. But Jesus' way was not their way. He knew that by dying, the Jews could not only be saved from the perceived tyranny of any military power, but from a far worse tyranny, that of sin and evil.

Jesus chose the path of suffering and death so that they—and we—could be free forever from the punishment due to us because of the evil in our hearts. He took our place on the cross. If we are able to "get" this truth, then suffering and death are no threat to us, whether at the hands of a Roman soldier, or in the hand of a just God. We don't need to fear death because of what Jesus did.

Because of Jesus' suffering, we also have an advocate when we suffer. No matter what we are going through, no matter how tough or terrorizing, one thing is sure: Jesus understands. He has endured far worse, for our sake. When we are tempted to look up out of the dark holes we find ourselves in, to search the heavens and call out to God—we may wonder, "Where is God and why won't he rescue me?"

Consider for a moment that Jesus doesn't gaze down at you from some great throne in Heaven. No. He is beneath you, waiting for you to let go and fall back into his arms. Jesus has experienced the limit of suffering and he is able to meet you where you are.

There is no depth to which we can ever descend that is lower than Jesus went when he died under the weight of a worldful of evil. But no matter how low we have been, don't doubt that if we are found in Jesus when he ascends on Easter day, then we will rise with Him . . .

WB "HolySpiritInteractive" Journal