Reflections during Holy Week 2020

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Every year Holy Week brings special spiritual and sentimental emotions for me!  It was the end of January and first week of February 1996 that I traveled with a small group of women to the Holy Land. During that approximately 12-14 day trip, I walked where Jesus walked, sailed on the Sea of Galilee in a fishing boat, stood in the Upper Room, prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane under an ancient olive tree, and kneeled in reverence and awe at the sites of the crucifixion and the burial of Jesus.  The full impact of the trip hit me during Holy Week the following month that year!  As I listened to the Scriptures of the passion of Christ, I was overwhelmed with emotion because I had been there and seen that area!  To this day, those images of the places where Jesus walked on this earth are as vivid as if I am standing there in Israel.

 

I do not take this week lightly!  Rather, I humbly walk each day in prayer all the way to the cross!

And on Easter morn, I rejoice because I know that our Redeemer lives!!  Alleluia!

 

I am blessed to have been born into a Christian family and to have the opportunity to profess my faith openly and boldly!  “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us be glad and rejoice in it!”  (Psalm 118:24)

 

As I cherish the memories of my trip to the Holy Land, I also remember the extended layover our flight had in  Bucharest, Romania.  Bucharest at that time was only a few years free from Communist rule, yet the impact and oppression from the government was still painfully visible.  As our plane landed and we rushed to use the airport restrooms, we were greeted by a stout woman dressed in grey military attire. Standing at the restroom entrance, she sternly doled out two (2) squares of rough, greenish-colored toilet tissue to each woman.

My immediate thought was “what if I need more?”, but the cold, daring look on her face told me not to voice my thoughtful concern!  Obediently I entered the restroom and made do with what I had.

 

A couple of weeks ago I thought of this incident in Bucharest and compared the menacing look of the bathroom matron with that of the Charmin Papa Bear on TV!  It almost seems cruel to me that this paper company is promoting the pleasantry of toilet tissue when it is in such short supply in our country right now.  As I tore off my meager two squares in being conservative at home, I pondered about the two squares from the matron.  What has caused me to be wasteful over the years?  Why haven’t I been a better steward of the resources God has provided?  Do I think I am entitled to more than what I have been given through the trees, the water, and the land?  Yes, I have perceived myself as entitled to bigger and better things.  I have not humbly followed in the footsteps of Christ, but instead walked in the ways of the world’s greed!

 

These are some valuable lessons I’ve discovered in this downtime, this social distancing period!  I’ve had more time to reflect on a deeper level what God has planned for me and how I am responding to that call.  I pray that you have also had time to pause and give thanks for all the Lord has given you!

 

May your walk with Christ this week lead you to the hope and joy of the Resurrection!

 

Easter Blessings!

 

Pastor Mary