narrative essay about holy week

How I spent my Holy Week

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Holy Week has nearly arrived. For many of us, this comes as a welcome relief. Sacrifice, mortification, and suffering do not come easily. We’d instead carry on in our comfortable lives than stretch ourselves until it hurts for the love of Him who was stretched on a Cross for us. As we prepare our souls to accept and surrender to the weight of His love before entering into the lighthearted celebration of the Easter season, it behooves us to pause each day with some degree of solemn appreciation for Him who was glorified by way of surrender and death.

Why is Holy Week a time of reflection?

Lent is a time of spiritual renewal and a time to prepare ourselves for Easter Sunday. Our Lord is with us, always forgiving and loving all with no exceptions. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.”

The Easter season, especially Holy Week, gives us the opportunity for serious reflection. We know that Jesus died for us, only to give each of us new life. Easter can be a time of renewed commitment to our Heavenly Father. May our Risen Lord continue to inspire each of us.

Holy Week is also a time of forgiveness as we are preparing for the celebration of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Father. It is a time to embrace our mistakes and shortcomings and forgive all who have offended us. Colossians 3:12 tells us, “We are the people of God; He loved us and chose us for His own. So then, we must clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Matthew 6:14-15 reminds us, “Let us not forget that “if we forgive others the wrongs they have done to us, our Father in heaven will also forgive us. But if we do not forgive others, then the Father will not forgive the wrongs we have done.”

We must also take this as an opportunity to reflect with God about ourselves. We can talk and reconcile with God through sacrament and prayers and reflect on what we have done. In such a way, we will be prepared for our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming as He is seated at the Father’s right hand.

Through reflection, we are also offering ourselves to God. But “if we are about to offer our gift to God at the altar and there we remember that our brother has something against us, leave our gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with our brother, and then come back and offer our gift to God,” as seen in Matthew 5:23-24. We should take this season to put the value of forgiveness and reflection in our hearts and our souls. Let us put ourselves in the presence of the Lord so that someday we will be able to enter His Kingdom.

Holy Week reflections.

Waiting is likely one of the most challenging aspects of the human condition. No one enjoys waiting, in traffic, in the waiting room at a doctor’s office, for an important phone call, or a long-awaited visit with a long-lost friend or relative. We despise waiting, whether it be for dreaded news or something joyful. We’d rather know right away what’s going to happen and when.

Waiting for God is a different matter, however. God often asks us to wait for painfully extended periods without reprieve. Holy Week reminds us that waiting is part of our own passion experience. We wait for death, but ultimately, we wait for what comes after death: new life. To become a new creation in Christ, we must undergo many trials that we’d instead bypass altogether. These are necessary, vital components to entering the joy of eternal bliss.

We can wait for God with courage and fidelity, regardless of how long He asks us to hold off on taking action. This week especially, we can use our time meditating on Jesus’ Passion for growing in patience and anticipating the joy of resurrection with hope that lingers while suffering.

It’s an incredibly humbling privilege and honor to bear a child in your womb, especially when you know that it is truly God who ordained this little soul to be formed from a tiny seed.

If we consider that our beginnings were fashioned in our mothers’ wombs, we might realize that life itself would be impossible for us without God sustaining us. There are so many statistical reasons why our lives are a miracle from the very beginning, one of which is that the formation of a tiny baby is incredibly fragile and prone to death. God has given us strength from our mother’s womb, from the beginning of our lives.

Knowing this, then, we should not falter in trusting God. He ordained our lives for a specific purpose. We are called to something that only we can do, and we must cleave to the hope that He will fulfill the work He has begun in us.

Jesus was born so that He would die for us. That is the sole reason the Father sent Him to earth. We always think of Lent as the most appropriate time to meditate about Jesus’ Passion, but we seldom give it much thought throughout the rest of the liturgical calendar.

It seems fitting that we should, in some way, celebrate Lent all year long. It should be very much a part of our everyday prayer to recall with fond appreciation and immense love that Jesus was born so that we might be delivered to eternal life. And life has a high price. As the “appointed time draws near” for entering into Jesus’ death, we might do well to ask Him how we can console His Heart every day from this point onward. It is our gift of gratitude for the price of love.

Holy Week is a solemn week of extra prayer and fasting. It involves the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. During those three days, we recall, and through our prayer participate in, Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, his arrest, trial, and execution, the long day of silence (Holy Saturday) while his body rested in the grave, and his Resurrection on Easter. The many readings of Scripture surrounding the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ give us a lot of material for reflection and prayer.

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Essay on Holy Week Experience

Students are often asked to write an essay on Holy Week Experience in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Holy Week Experience

What is holy week.

Holy Week is a very special time for Christians. It is the week before Easter. It starts on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday. This week is a time to remember the last week of Jesus’ life on earth.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week. On this day, Christians remember when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. People waved palm branches and cheered for him. This event is often celebrated with processions and the waving of palm branches.

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the day when Christians remember the Last Supper. This was the last meal Jesus had with his disciples before he was arrested. On this day, some churches have a special service where people wash each other’s feet.

Good Friday

Good Friday is a day of sadness for Christians. It is the day when they remember that Jesus was crucified. Many churches hold special services on this day to remember Jesus’ death. Some people also fast or pray.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is the happiest day of Holy Week. It is the day when Christians celebrate Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. This day is often marked with joyful songs, feasts, and Easter egg hunts.

250 Words Essay on Holy Week Experience

Holy Week is a special time in the Christian calendar. It is the last week of Lent, leading up to Easter Sunday. This week is very important as it remembers the last week of Jesus’ life on Earth. It starts with Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday.

Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week. It remembers when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. People welcomed him by waving palm branches. This day is often celebrated with processions and the distribution of palm leaves.

The next important day is Maundy Thursday. This day remembers the Last Supper, when Jesus ate with his disciples for the last time. On this day, some churches have a special service where the priest washes people’s feet, just like Jesus did for his disciples.

Good Friday is a sad day because it remembers the death of Jesus. Many Christians go to church to pray and remember Jesus’ sacrifice. Some people also fast, eating less food to show their respect.

The last day of Holy Week is Easter Sunday. This is a joyful day because it celebrates Jesus’ resurrection, his coming back to life. Churches are often decorated with flowers, and people sing happy songs.

In conclusion, Holy Week is a meaningful time for Christians. It is a week of both sadness and joy, remembering the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is a time for prayer, reflection, and celebration.

500 Words Essay on Holy Week Experience

The meaning of holy week.

Holy Week is a special time for many people around the world. It is the last week of Lent and the week before Easter. During this week, Christians remember the last week of Jesus’s life. There are many special days during Holy Week, like Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. Each day has its own meaning and traditions.

Palm Sunday is the start of Holy Week. It remembers when Jesus entered Jerusalem, and people laid palm branches on the ground in front of him. Many churches give out small palm crosses on this day. It is a joyful day because it celebrates Jesus’s welcome in Jerusalem as a king.

Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday. It remembers the Last Supper, where Jesus ate with his disciples before his death. Many churches have a special Communion service on this day. The word ‘Maundy’ comes from the command or ‘mandatum’ by Jesus to love one another as he loved us.

Good Friday is the most solemn day of Holy Week. It is the day when Christians remember Jesus’s death on the cross. Many people fast (don’t eat anything) on Good Friday and join in prayer and worship services. Some people also take part in processions of the cross in the streets.

Easter Sunday is the end of Holy Week and the end of Lent. It is a day of joy and celebration because it remembers Jesus’s resurrection from the dead. Many people go to church on Easter Sunday to celebrate this happy day. It is also a day for family gatherings and festive meals.

Personal Experience of Holy Week

My personal experience of Holy Week is very special. It is a time of deep reflection and prayer. I go to church every day of Holy Week, and I take part in the special services. I also spend time with my family, and we share meals together. On Good Friday, I fast and pray. On Easter Sunday, I celebrate with joy. It is a week full of emotions, from sadness to joy, but it is always a time of hope.

Holy Week is a meaningful time for Christians around the world. It is a week of special services, reflection, and prayer. It is also a time of family gatherings and joy. It is a week that reminds us of the great love of Jesus, who died and rose again for us. It is a time of hope and renewal.

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What Is Holy Week? - 8 Days of Easter You Need to Know

• Meg Bucher Author
• Updated Mar 28, 2024

Holy Week is a string of eight days that allow us an opportunity to reflect upon the shift in humanity Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross launched. It starts with Palm Sunday when Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem. The week leads us through the Last Supper, His crucifixion , and ends on Easter Sunday with His resurrection. This is the basis of Christianity, His sacrifice launched the New Covenant God promised and many had prophesied throughout the Old Testament. Each day of Holy Week allows us to peek into the heart of our Savior at intently close proximity. His love for us is reflected in every significant step toward the cross, every breath up to the last, and His resurrection.

How Holy Week Leads to Easter Sunday

Though Jesus didn’t walk the earth incarnate until He was born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph, He exists and works throughout the entirety of the Bible. Scripture assures us that He was present at Creation with the Father, that He is the Word , and many prophecies were fulfilled explicitly during this final, holy week of Jesus’ life on earth. Each Gospel has a narrative of the last week of Jesus’ life ( Matthew 21-28; Mark 11-16; Luke 19-24; John 12-21 ).

What Is Holy Week?

Due to the sinful nature of humanity as a result of Adam and Eve’s fall in the garden of Eden, it’s impossible for us to be “good enough” to be in the presence of God and forgiven for our sins. Jesus died to make the way for salvation. The Old Testament Law offered many sacrifices to God, but Jesus was the perfect atoning sacrifice once and for all. He endured the cross out of His great love for us . Holy Week is a sacred opportunity to study the foundation of Christianity. Our God is not one of coincidence. Every step toward the cross was intentional, every lesson laced with His personal love for all of us.

When Is Holy Week 2024?

Here are the dates for Holy Week for 2023:  Sunday, April 2 - Saturday, April 8.  Easter is on Sunday, April 9. 

Related : Here is a timeline of the Holy Week and more on When is Holy Week ?

What Happened on Palm Sunday?

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday; palm branches, which symbolize triumph or victory, were strewn in Jesus’ path, as He rode into the city. He rode into town on a humble donkey, fulfilling the prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 : “ Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your kings comes to you, righteous and victorious, low and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. ” The people welcomed Him, echoing the words of Psalm 118:25-26 : “ Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!” more popularly recognizes as “Hosanna! Hosanna! ”

The word hosanna originated from the word save . The meaning of the word eventually shifted to express gratitude for salvation, and is used in the New Testament initially in Matthew 21:9 : “ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes the name of the Lord!’ ‘Hosanna in the highest heaven! ’” This is a pivotal moment in the history of humanity, as the long-awaited new covenant God promised to His people would produce new salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross.

What Happened on the Monday before Easter?

On the way back into the city from Bethany, where Jesus and the twelve spent the night, Jesus became hungry. Seeing a fig tree with no fruit on it, though it was full of leaves and thus should have been full of fruit, Jesus spoke a curse on the tree. Jesus went to the temple on Monday and confronted those making a profit off of the people coming to worship there. 

“ Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said the them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a den of robbers. ’” - Matthew 21:12-13

Those who heard and witnessed Jesus' miraculous healings that day sang praises to Him, which caused authorities to begin looking for a way to kill him. The Gospel of Luke says that “they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.” - Luke 19:48

What Happened on the Tuesday before Easter?

The next day, Peter noticed the fully withered fig tree Jesus had cursed, to which Jesus admonished a lesson to have faith and recognize the power of forgiveness:

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not count in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”  - Mark 11:22-26

Holy Tuesday was a day of avoiding traps and teaching. The priests set four traps for Jesus, the first questioning His authority, to which He answered with a question and then taught three parables: The Parable of the Two Sons , The Parable of the Tenants , and The Parable of the Wedding Banquet . The second trap challenged Jesus’ allegiance, the third trap attempted to ridicule Jesus’ belief in resurrection, and the fourth Jesus answered by claiming God’s greatest command to be “Love.”

Stopping at the Mount of Olives to rest on the way back to Bethany to spend the night, Jesus spoke to His disciples about the upcoming trials for His followers .

What Happened on the Wednesday before Easter?

Though the Gospel of Luke states, “every day he was teaching in the temple,” Holy Wednesday is referred to as a day of rest for Jesus. While in Bethany, a woman anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume. It is also widely known throughout the church as “Spy Wednesday.” While Jesus rests in Bethany at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, the plot of the high priest and the authorities to kill Jesus is in full swing.

Finding an open opportunity in the greed of Judas, Satan entered him. Judas went to the chief priests and authorities, “and from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.” He would soon betray Jesus for the price of a slave, and the twelve would scatter. None of the twelve will be left at the foot of the cross as Jesus dies but John.

"Judas betrayed the very man who he followed for years. But because of Spy Wednesday, we see yet another prophecy fulfilled from the Old Testament. Judas’ role fulfills words declared hundreds of years before and further proves the validity of the Bible and Christianity." - Hope Bolinger ( Read more: What is Holy Wednesday/Spy Wednesday? )

What Happened on Maundy Thursday ?

On Holy or Maundy, Thursday, in an upper room, Jesus and His disciples shared the Last Supper. On this day, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples and broke break with them for the last time. Still celebrated today as a part of many congregational traditions, the bread broken and the wine shared represented the body and blood of Christ, to be broken and shed for the disciples, and all of us. During the meal, Jesus predicted His betrayal by one of them and Peter’s denial.

After the meal, the disciples accompanied Jesus to the Garden at Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in agony. “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel came to strengthen Jesus in the garden. There, He taught His disciples, and us, what to do when we come to the end of our own strength and need God to help us press on.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.” - John 13:34

No one knew love like the sacrificial and selfless love of Jesus before the cross. Thus, a new commandment to love sacrificially and selflessly.

Read more : What is Maundy Thursday?

What Happened on Good Friday?

Good Friday was the last day of Jesus’ life on earth before His resurrection. He was betrayed by Judas, as predicted, and denied by Peter, as predicted. His disciples scattered. He was arrested and was placed on trial falsely. He was condemned, beaten, mocked, and required to carry His own cross to the place where He was crucified and died. “The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head.” Though he was offered something to dull the physical pain, Jesus refused. He chose to face the pain of death head on. They stripped Him of His clothes and cast lots for them, fulfilling another prophecy.

Two prisoners were crucified alongside Jesus. One mocked Him, but the other said, “‘ Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’ ” ( Luke 23:39-43 ). Amidst the most cruel, unfair, unjust, and painful death a human body could endure, Jesus chose to respond in grace to the criminal beside Him and care for His mother and best friend. “ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother ’” ( John 19:25-27 ). At noon, Jesus cried out “ Father, into your hands I commit my spirit, ” and died.

“It was at about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.” - Luke 23:44-46

Jesus was taken down from the cross, wrapped in linens, and placed in a tomb.

Read more : Good Friday - What Does it Mean and Why is it Good?

Why Is it Called Good Friday?

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  - Romans 8:28

"It’s called Good Friday because, by Jesus’ death, he became the final, complete sacrifice for our sins. We couldn’t have erased our sins. Our hands would have been forever stained with every single sin for a lifetime. But Jesus broke the bonds of death and sin!" - Hope Bolinger ( Read More: Why is It Called Good Friday? )

What Happened on Black (or Holy) Saturday?

Jesus’ body rested in the tomb on Holy Saturday; it was a rich man’s tomb, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9. Preparations were made for Jesus’ body and placement in the tomb until 6pm, when preparations for the Sabbath began.

“The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” - Luke 23:55-56

"Holy Saturday is a time for us to lean into being present in the Lord, placing our own agendas at the door, and coming before Him to simply be with Him. The Lord desires a relationship with us, and a requirement of a relationship is time together. Holy Saturday is a great day not to ask for anything, but to simply spend time within the Spirit of the Lord." - Cally Logan ( Read more : What Is Holy Saturday? )

There are varying theories as to where Jesus’ soul was in between His death on the cross and His resurrection. The Bible doesn’t really say too much about where He is at. From His statement to the criminal on the cross, “you will be with me today in paradise,”  we can only assume that He was in the presence of His Father in heaven on Holy Saturday.

What Happened on Easter Sunday (Resurrection Day)?

“He is not here;  he has risen , just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.”  - Matthew 28:6

On Easter Sunday, Jesus rose from the dead, fulfilling the prophecy. Early in the morning, the women who had prepared the spices before the Sabbath returned to Jesus’ tomb to find it empty. Mary Magdalene arrived first.

 “ Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb .” - John 20:1

“ And behold, Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshipped him .” - Matthew 28:9-10

After all eleven have been informed, they rush to the empty tomb. Jesus appeared to Cleopus and another on the road to Emmaus, and to Peter. That evening, He entered a room with locked doors to greet the other ten disciples. “Peace to you! ” ( Luke 24:36-43 ; John 20:19-23 ) In, “Ten Way Easter Changes Everything,” Matthew Harmon observes, “ It can see like to claim that the resurrection changes everything is an example of hype, but as you read the Bible and you understand all that flows out of Jesus’ resurrection, it is no exaggeration to say that Jesus rising from the dead literally changes everything.”

Read more:   What is Easter?

Why Christians Should Observe Holy Week

Holy Week shouldn’t be observed out of religious obligation but out of hearts seeking the opportunity to journey with Jesus in the closeness the events of this week bring to all who believe in the sacrificial salvation He died to give us. For those curious about Jesus, observing Holy Week is a good opportunity to ask questions and seek answers about who He is, what His sacrifice means, and how His gift affects humanity. When Christians observe Holy Week, we set ourselves apart for Him and dedicate our time to Him. Our observation gives Him the glory and honor that He deserves, for the gift of life we get to live.

Before Holy Week, Jesus spent Friday, one week before His crucifixion, with Mary, Martha and Lazarus ( John 12:1 ) and then observed the Sabbath on Saturday with His friends. He rested before He began His final steps to journey to the cross. Imagine the anticipation He felt, knowing in one week’s time, everything would change. Our God is not a God of coincidence. The entire Bible tells the story of our Savior, and Holy Week is the centerpiece.

A Short Prayer for Holy Week

Meg  writes about everyday life within the love of Christ as an author, freelance writer, and blogger at  Sunny&80 . Her first book,  “Friends with Everyone,”   is available on  amazon.com . She earned a Marketing/PR degree from Ashland University but stepped out of the business world to stay at home and raise her two daughters. Besides writing, she leads a Bible Study for Women and serves as a Youth Ministry leader in her community. She lives in Northern Ohio with her husband, Jim, and two daughters.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Javier_Art_Photography

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Holy Week Made Present Today

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Year A)

The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” Matthew 21:8–9

Holy Week begins. What an important week that we begin to commemorate today. The Scripture passage above comes from the Gospel that is read at the beginning of Mass to commemorate Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem for the fulfillment of the Passover. That year, Jesus was to become the new Passover Lamb Whose blood was shed for us all and Whose flesh we now eat. Today’s Liturgy of the Word concludes with Matthew’s version of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest and death on the Cross. Since we are blessed to read this narrative in full detail today, it is helpful to call to mind the Church’s understanding of the Word of God.

“When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel” ( General Instruction of the Roman Missal #29). This is an important lesson to learn, especially today as we read the heart of the Gospel in detail. Though Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, His last supper, arrest, mock trial, suffering and death on the Cross happened 2,000 years ago, those historical events are made present to us today in a unique and real way. By participating in the proclamation of this Gospel at Mass today, we are mystically united to this saving action of our Lord. And though our minds might wander at times, God is truly present to us if we listen and see. 

As you begin this Holy Week, try to walk through it with Jesus every step of the way. As you go about your days this week, fulfilling your normal duties in life, remind yourself of the spiritual truth that because the full Gospel of Jesus’ passion and death were proclaimed to you today, He is manifestly present to you in a special way. On Holy Thursday, we will ponder the Gift of the Most Holy Eucharist. On Good Friday, we will hear Jesus’ passion proclaimed from the Gospel of John. Thus, this week begins with the proclamation of the Passion and ends with the Passion as a way of drawing us more deeply into the mystery of Christ’s saving Sacrifice.

At the heart of the story of the Passion of Jesus is the manifestation of a love like no other. The love we witness this week is a love that is so pure, so selfless, so sacrificial and so transforming that it is beyond comprehension. The love that we witness is one in which God permits Himself to enter the deepest humiliation ever seen. He does this so that He can meet us in our lowliness, sin, and fallenness, and raise us up to the highest heights imaginable.

As we enter this Holy Week, know that it is more than a week of reflection. It’s a week of participation in the mystery of God’s pure and perfect love for you. As you reflect upon this love, allow it to confront you. Keep it on your mind and heart throughout the week. Allow that love, offered some 2,000 years ago, to become truly present to you so that you will be more present to our Lord and His love for you.

Hosanna! To the Suffering Christ!

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Year B)

Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” Mark 11:9–10

Throughout Jesus’ life, He traveled to Jerusalem many times. As a child, He was presented in the Temple. At age twelve, He was found teaching the teachers of the Law in the Temple. As He grew, He made regular pilgrimages to the Temple. During His temptation in the desert, the devil took Him to the pinnacle of the Temple. In the Gospels, we read of at least four different trips to the Temple during Jesus’ public ministry. However, the trip to Jerusalem that we commemorate today was unlike any other. As Jesus entered Jerusalem this time, His life was already being sought by the religious leaders. Despite that fact, Jesus entered Jerusalem with great solemnity and with much attention. “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” was the cry by the crowd as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey while palm branches and cloaks were strewn before Him.

Though this was the most fitting way for the people of faith to welcome their King, their warm welcome, their cries “Hosanna!” and their excitement were more beneficial to them than they were to Jesus. Jesus is God. He has no need of our praise and honor. But Jesus came to us to invite us to praise, honor and worship Him because it is good for us. We need to praise Him. This is what we are made for. This leads to the fulfillment of our lives.

As we begin Holy Week, try to spend time with this image of the people honoring our Lord with much enthusiasm. This is an image depicting who we must become. As we continue through this Holy Week, we must become increasingly aware of the God to Whom we offer our praise and worship. He is a God Who lowered Himself in the eyes of all, took on the form of a slave, permitted Himself to be labeled as a grave sinner, was rejected, beaten and killed. This week, especially, we worship the suffering Christ. We worship a Man Who was arrested and cruelly treated. We worship a Man who was hated and mistreated in the worst way possible.

Our wholehearted worship of the suffering Christ is an important act to fulfill. In many ways, it is easier to worship God as He is in Heaven on His glorious throne. When we ponder the myriads of angels gathered around Him, the saints of all time bowing to the ground and glory and splendor radiating from His face, worship seems right. To worship a Man accused of being a criminal and suffering capital punishment while enduring the hatred of many is more difficult to comprehend. But if we are able to see Jesus through the eyes of faith and peer through the hatred and lies that surrounded Him, then we will be in awe of the humility of our God Who came to us this way.

Our worship of the suffering Christ also invites us to share in His virtue as He endured all that was inflicted upon Him. When we worship the humiliated Christ, our humiliations take on new power and meaning. When we worship the suffering Christ, our sufferings are elevated to share in His redemption. When we worship the rejected, despised and persecuted Christ, any ways that we share in these hardships are transformed.

Reflect, today, upon the God Whom you worship this Holy Week. Do not shy away from all that Jesus endured. Gaze at His rejection and passion. Look at the hatred He endured. As you do, see not only your glorious God, see also the remedy for all your ills. God descended to us in this most humble form so that He could meet us where we are at and raise us to new life with Him.

Following Him to the Cross

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Year C)

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!” Luke 19:38–40

At the foot of the Mount of Olives was the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus agonized in prayer and was arrested. But several days before that happened, our Lord crossed over that hill next to the Mount of Olives with His Apostles and then approached the slope heading toward the Garden. As He descended, He encountered “the whole multitude of his disciples” who “began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen.” They then cried out: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” They met Him within eyeshot of the gate of the city of Jerusalem. This must have left the Twelve in amazement.

Among those who were amazed were the Pharisees. But they were not amazed with joy. Their amazement was caused by envy and led to condemnation. Jesus’ response was very clear: “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!” That begs the question: If these disciples had not offered our Lord this glorious welcome, would the stones truly have cried out? Most certainly they would have! They did so just several days later after Jesus had been abandoned by the crowds.

Recall that when Jesus was crucified, almost every one of these disciples abandoned Him. They fled in fear. Even most of the Twelve ran and hid. Only our Blessed Mother, Saint John and a few others remained. Therefore, when Jesus died on the Cross, abandoned by the crowds, this prophecy of His came true. “And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Matthew 27:51–52).

We must never keep silent in praise and worship of God. There is an important lesson to learn from these two moments from that first Holy Week. At the beginning, as Jesus entered Jerusalem with much excitement, there were many who offered Him praise. It’s easy to give praise and glory to God when it is popular and when many others are doing so. Contrast this with the end of Holy Week when Jesus was persecuted and killed. Suddenly, praise and open acclamations were not that popular. Fear had the effect of silencing the crowds and ending their worship of our Lord. For that reason, the stones did cry out and the earth quaked.

As we enter this Holy Week, consider whether you are more like the “whole multitude” of Jesus’ disciples who praised Him when it was easy and popular, or whether you are more like our Blessed Mother and Saint John who remained faithful to Him when it was anything but popular to do so. Do you persevere in your praise and adoration of God during difficult times? Or do you allow fear of what others may say, fear of rejection and other forms of humiliation to deter you from your sacred calling?

Reflect, today, upon these two contrasting moments of that first Holy Week. Join, today, with the crowds as they acclaim Jesus as King. As you do, turn your eyes to the King Whom you worship. Choose to follow Him to His betrayal, His suffering and His death. Commit yourself to fidelity, especially when it is hard to do so. Do not waver in your commitment. Look at the love in the heart of Jesus’ own mother and pray to her that you will have the courage she had to remain faithful to our Lord, lest the stones be forced to cry out in your place.

Expressing Your Love of God

Monday of Holy Week

Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” John 12:4–5

Jesus was with His disciples at the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. He regularly spent time at their home and was close to them. This meal took place just before Jesus entered into Jerusalem for the first Palm Sunday and Holy Week. It was six days before Jesus would die on the cross.

Recall that Lazarus had recently been raised from the dead by Jesus and also that Mary, Lazarus’ sister, was deeply devoted to Jesus and is recorded as the one who sat at His feet, while her sister Martha served. During this visit, Mary offered another act of devotion to Jesus when she anointed Him with “a liter of costly perfumed oil.” She offered Him an act of love and devotion. The Scripture passage above records Judas’ response as he also was at the meal. Jesus rebukes Judas and defends the act of devotion given by Mary, and the meal continues on. 

One clear lesson this teaches us is that nothing is too good for our Lord. It’s true that we must do our part to help care for the poor, but Jesus’ response to Judas is quite interesting. He says, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” Jesus was not downplaying the importance of caring for the poor; He was emphasizing the importance of offering acts of love and devotion to Him.

As we enter into this the holiest week of the year, we are given this image of Mary lavishing upon Jesus this liter of costly perfumed oil as a way of inviting us to do the same. Though we serve Christ in others who are in need, we must also seek to regularly offer Him devotion and love directly, even in ways that others may think is excessive. Honoring Him, expressing our love, spending time with various devotions, praying for extended periods of time, and even offering Him our financial resources are all ways in which we give Jesus the glory that is due Him.

Reflect, today, upon ways in which you can imitate this act of loving devotion offered by Mary to Jesus. In what ways can you pour forth in an abundant way your time, money, talents, and energy upon our Lord? How can you best express your devotion to Him this Holy Week? Seek out ways to do this directly for the one and simple reason that you love our Lord and want to express that love this week.

The Glory of God in All Things

Tuesday of Holy Week

“Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once.”  John 13:31–32

Jesus speaks this line about Himself being glorified immediately after Judas leaves the supper to go forth to betray Him. Jesus had just finished washing the feet of His disciples, and soon He would finish the Last Supper, go to the Garden of Gethsemane, be arrested, beaten and crucified. And this was to all take place through the betrayal of one of the Twelve. Yet rather than speak of these pending events in a fearful or anxious way, Jesus points to the glory He will receive through them.

Everything in life has the potential to become an instrument of the glory of God. Even our sin can end in God’s glory when we repent and receive God’s forgiveness. It will not be our sin that glorifies God but His mercy poured forth from the Cross upon us that gives Him glory.

The same is true with the events of Holy Week. When looked at from a purely human perspective, what Jesus endured was tragic and horrific. One of His closest companions betrayed Him. The religious leaders of the time betrayed Him. The civil authorities betrayed Him. And all of the disciples except John fled in fear as Jesus was betrayed. But Jesus did not look at any of this through human eyes alone. He saw it all from the eternal perspective and clearly taught that all of these seemingly tragic events would end in His glory.

When we commit ourselves to the following of Christ, we can be assured that we will also share in His Cross. We will experience the sins of others, encounter mistreatment, and have to endure various sufferings. The question for us all as we have these encounters in life is whether we will endure them in anger and despair or with the hopeful confidence of our Lord. Again, everything in life has the potential to become an instrument of the glory of God. Nothing in life has the power to steal away that glory when we keep our eyes upon the will of God and His power to use all for His glory.

Reflect, today, upon your call in life to see everything from the divine perspective. If you are upset, angry, despairing or confused at times, know that God wants to bring clarity and grace to every situation. He wants to show you how you can share in His divine mission of transforming every evil into God’s glory. Seek out the ways that your life must give glory to God in everything, especially those things that seem incapable of being used for good. The more an experience in life seems incapable of being used for God’s glory, the more that experience is capable of giving true glory to God.

Rejecting Empty Promises

Wednesday of Holy Week

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. Matthew 26:14–16

The desire for money can become a powerful incentive to betray our Lord. In this Gospel passage, it seems clear that Judas’ betrayal was based on his desire for money. He most likely had some level of faith in our Lord, or he wouldn’t have become His disciple. But even if Judas did have some level of faith, his desire for money appeared to overshadow the faith he may have had.

One of the central lessons we can learn from Judas is that the desire for money is a powerful incentive for the decisions we make. So many of the great saints have taught us that the path to holiness consists, first, in a purification of all our disordered affections. And since one of the most powerful attachments that many struggle with is an attachment to money, this is an important desire to purify in all of our lives.

It’s true that material possessions are not evil when they are used for the fulfillment of God’s will. But the desire for more, for an excess, will always cloud our ability to see clearly the will of God and live for His glory alone.

Once Judas had betrayed our Lord and Jesus was arrested, recall that Judas “deeply regretted what he had done.” And during Jesus’ trial, Judas went back to the chief priests and said “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood” in an apparent attempt to stop the trial. But Jesus’ death was set in motion and could not be stopped. As a result, Judas returned the money and sadly went off to hang himself (See Matthew 27:3–5).

The desire Judas had for money clouded his thinking. And his sin did to him what sin always does. As soon as his sin of betrayal was done, Judas saw the consequences of that choice. And the consequences grieved him deeply. He learned that choosing sin ends with an empty promise. He realized that thirty pieces of silver was not worth the value of his soul. But of course, even then Judas could have repented and received the mercy of God. But he didn’t. He simply ended his life in ultimate despair.

Reflect, today, upon the witness of Judas. Use him as a source of meditation and self-examination this Holy Week. What is it in your life that you desire more than our Lord? What temptation clouds your thinking and leads you to choices that you know will end in emptiness? Strive to eradicate every disordered desire within you this day and choose wisely the will of God instead. Do not let yourself continue to believe the lies that keep you from making Jesus and His holy will the one and only focus of your life.

The One True Sacrifice of the Mass

Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Year A)

Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23–24

We begin the most sacred Triduum, the greatest Feasts in the life of the Church. Tonight we celebrate the Last Supper with our Lord. The Church then keeps vigil in prayer until midnight. Tomorrow, though Holy Communion that was consecrated on Holy Thursday is distributed, the Mass is not celebrated and the tabernacle is empty. We venerate the Cross, recall the Passion, and experience the silence of the death of our Lord. On Holy Saturday, the Liturgy is not celebrated until the sun sets and we begin the Easter Vigil celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord.

Tonight we especially ponder the words of Jesus: “Do this in remembrance of me.” This is not only an invitation; it is a command. A command of love. A command to share in the Memorial Sacrifice of the Savior of the World. The word “memorial” is important to understand. When Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me,” He was not simply asking us to remember Him, or to celebrate the Eucharist as a memorial in the normal sense of a memorial. Normally, a memorial is something that is used only to remind us of something that previously took place. There might be a memorial plaque placed at a location of some important event, commemorating the event with a description and date. Or there might be a memorial ceremony where we honor someone who has gone before us. But the Mass is a memorial in a much different way.

As a memorial, or remembrance, our Church teaches that every time the Mass is celebrated, the saving events of the Paschal Mystery are truly made present. The Catechism of the Catholic Church , in quoting the great Council of Trent, states it this way: 

The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice : “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . .” (#1367).

In other words, when we participate in the Mass we are participating in the Sacrifice of Christ; we are present at the Cross. It is His offering that culminated in His victory over sin and death. Thus, when we celebrate this “remembrance,” we do more than remember the Last Supper. We are truly there, truly participating in it, truly experiencing the saving grace of Christ’s gift. It is very easy to “forget” what we actually participate in. Sometimes we can become distracted at Mass. If Mass is celebrated in an irreverent way, if it is rushed or if our minds are somewhere else, then we are standing at the foot of the Cross more like a soldier or bystander than like the Mother of God or people of deep faith.

As we participate in the Last Supper and the saving Sacrifice of Christ this night, reflect upon what you participate in every time you celebrate the Most Holy Eucharist. Pray for the eyes of faith and for the gift of reverence and awe. Pray that the veil be lifted and you be invited to gaze upon the greatest act of love ever known. Allow this night to be a true reminder to you that the Mass is real, is the Holy Sacrifice, is the most important Gift you will ever receive. It is the Gift of the Sacrifice of the Savior of the World.

Eucharistic Freedom

Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Year B)

“This day shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution.” Exodus 12:11

The holy Triduum begins. Today we fulfill this Old Testament passage, revealing that the Passover would become “a perpetual institution.” This passage concludes our First Reading instruction from the LORD given to Moses and Aaron on how to prepare for the Israelites’ liberation from Egypt. Plague after plague had been inflicted upon the Egyptians, and none of them resulted in the Israelites being set free. Therefore, the LORD instructed the Israelites to celebrate the first Passover by killing a year-old lamb, sprinkling its blood on their doorposts, and feasting on the flesh in preparation for the journey to the Promised Land. Today, we continue this Passover celebration as we share in the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Whose Blood has been shed, Whose flesh we consume, and Who leads us through the desert of life to the new and eternal Promised Land of Heaven.

Just as the first Passover was a prefiguration of the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God, so also the plagues that led up to the Passover present us with much meaning. At first, all the water in Egypt turned to blood. Then frogs, gnats, flies and pestilence covered the land. Boils covered the skin of humans and animals. Hail rained down, locusts covered the land, and finally darkness covered the land for three days. None of these plagues was ultimately successful in convincing Pharaoh to let God’s people go; therefore, the final plague to be inflicted was the death of the firstborn. It was the blood of the paschal lamb, sprinkled on the doorposts of the Israelites’ houses that signaled to the angels to pass over their homes.

The plagues inflicted on Pharaoh and the Egyptians were severe. But because of their obstinacy, God continued until they changed. Recall, also, that even after the Israelites were set free, Pharaoh changed his mind and pursued them into the Red Sea where his army perished.

Though these prefiguring events might not be that pleasant to consider, they must be reflected upon. We must see in them God’s tireless and relentless efforts to set us free from sin. The obstinacy and oppression of Pharaoh are  clear signs of the oppressive evil within our world today, and within our own souls. When we seek to embrace the freedom to which we are called, we will be met with much temptation and oppression from the evil one, as well as from our own fallen human nature. But if we trust in God, as Moses did, then we will be given all we need to begin the journey to freedom. Most specifically, the Flesh and Blood of the Son of Man is our Paschal Lamb. The Eucharist, which was instituted on Holy Thursday, protects us from the final death. Consuming the Body of Christ also strengthens us for our spiritual journeys. Without it, we have no protection from the evil one and lack the strength we need to be faithful on our journey.

Reflect, today, upon God’s incredible commitment to set you free. He came to earth, took on human form, offered His life in sacrifice, and now feeds you with His sacred flesh. Without the Eucharist as your spiritual food and His Sacred Blood covering you, you will not survive. We all need the Eucharist. We need the Bread of Heaven. We need the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of the Savior of the World. God went to the greatest length to save you. Accept His Gift that we especially commemorate and participate in today.

Our Model for Holiness

Holy Thursday, Mass of the Lord’s Supper (Year C)

“Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’  and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” John 13:12–15

Do you want to be holy? Perhaps this question is not one that everyone will immediately answer with a resounding “Yes.” Sadly, holiness, for some, can seem boring and unattractive. The lure of evil is very enticing on a confused and superficial level. So what is your answer to this question? Do you want to be holy?

As we begin today the sacred Triduum, we enter into the holiest days of the Church year.  We walk with our Lord through His final glorification today as He celebrates the Passover with His disciples and enters the Garden of Gethsemane to await His arrest. Tomorrow we walk with Him through the stations of His Cross. On Saturday, we sit in silent adoration of His tomb as we await the Resurrection.

In the Gospel quoted above, Jesus gives us a model for holiness by the witness of His actions. He Who is the God of the Universe, the Creator of all, the Eternal Son of God, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, humbles Himself and takes on the form of a lowly servant by washing the feet of His disciples. He then offers them the Most Holy Eucharist for the first time, before He goes to meet His persecutors.

The model Jesus gives us is a prophetic action by which Jesus tells us that true greatness, that is, true holiness, is found in humility. Holiness is realized in our lives when we turn our eyes from ourselves and love others as their servants. 

None of us are the Savior of the World, but each of us must become instruments of His saving act for others. As we accept Jesus’ gift, we must then turn to others and humble ourselves before them. We must help them to see our love and their dignity. We must serve them with humility and put them first. Doing so will then enable us to invite them to imitate us as we imitate Christ. Thus, our humble imitation of Jesus becomes a means by which Jesus invites others to follow Him.

Reflect, today, upon the invitation of Jesus: “…as I have done for you, you should also do.” Jesus gave us everything, so we must give everything to others. We must serve without counting the cost. We must love them, putting their needs before ours. We must become a model of the love of Christ for them. Ponder Jesus’ service today and throughout the Triduum and commit yourself to live the invitation given you by our Lord.

The Greatest Act of Love Unfolds

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (Year A)

Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and, carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. John 19:16–18

The Passion of our Lord begins. Our Gospel narrative today begins with Jesus going out to a garden with His disciples after the celebration of the Passover meal. It’s shocking to consider that the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity permitted such injustice to befall Him. Though perfect in every way, He allowed Himself to be treated as a criminal, to suffer at the hands of sinners, and to die an agonizing death.

One of the first shocking events to take place in the Garden where Jesus was arrested was the sheer number of soldiers sent to arrest Him. A “band of soldiers” could mean that as many as 600 soldiers were sent to accomplish this deed. Going out with “lanterns, torches and weapons” reveals that it was dark. The symbolism of darkness is significant in John’s Gospel, portraying the spiritual darkness that permeated that night. Within that darkness, one of Jesus’ own Apostles betrayed Him, leading this massive number of soldiers to arrest Him.

Upon Jesus’ arrest, Peter, the soon-to-be leader of the Apostles, denies, for the first time, that he even knows Jesus. This happens while Jesus is interrogated by Annas, a respected former High Priest. The fact that a High Priest was the first to question Jesus shows that even those who are “religious” can, at times, be brutal instruments of attacks upon the faith. After Annas, Jesus is brought to Caiaphas, then acting as High Priest. During that interrogation, Peter denied our Lord a second time and then a third. These religious leaders concluded that Jesus must die. Recall that Caiaphas had previously argued that “it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people” (John 11:50). In fact, those words of Caiaphas were an unintended prophecy, predicting the death of our Lord for all the people.

Since the Jewish authorities did not have the power to crucify someone, they relied on the Roman governor Pilate. Although Pilate shows little interest in meeting their request, He does so out of fear of an uprising and reprisals from Caesar. Pilate also humiliates Jesus, scourging Him and permitting his soldiers to mock Him. Little did they know that the purple cloak with which they covered Jesus and the crown of thorns they placed on His head were symbols of Jesus’ true Kingship, exercised by His defeat of death itself in the battle for the salvation of souls.

When Jesus was crucified, He hung on the Cross between two thieves. As He agonized for three hours, He permitted His mother to stand by Him, entrusted her to the disciple John and John to her, drank of the wine to quench His thirst, spoke His final words, “It is finished,” and then He bowed His sacred head and handed over His spirit.

John’s Gospel relates to us that after Jesus was dead, a soldier pierced His side with a lance, and blood and water flowed out. This final gift from our Lord has been understood as a symbol of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist. It was truly finished. The King had won the battle. Death was defeated, and the means by which we are to share in that victory was given by the institution of the Sacraments.

Reflect, today, upon this most sacred scene. There is no end to the depth and breadth of the meaning of every action that took place that holy day. Every detail reveals the love of God. Every symbol points to the reality of what took place. Every word our Lord spoke is for us to hear, to receive and to believe. The meaning of Good Friday is beyond our human comprehension. Nonetheless, on this holy day we are called to prayerfully penetrate the meaning of this perfect act of love, so that we will more fully share in the grace given to us by our Lord.

“I Thirst!”

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (Year B)

After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. John 19:28–30

Consider the thirst of Jesus. Though His physical thirst must have been excruciating as He hung upon the Cross, pouring forth His precious blood upon the world, the spiritual thirst our Lord felt would have greatly overshadowed His physical thirst. His spiritual thirst is for you, for your soul, for your salvation. As He hung upon the Cross, Jesus did not think of Himself, His suffering or His wretched physical condition. Instead, He thought of you and of all those for whom He was giving His life.

Psalm 69:22 says, “Instead they gave me poison for my food; and for my thirst they gave me vinegar.” Jesus fulfilled this Scripture passage as He thirsted on the Cross. The vinegar symbolically refers to each one of us. The vinegar given to our Lord on the Cross was spoiled wine. Each one of us, symbolically speaking, is this spoiled wine. The purity of our humanity has been corrupted by original sin. As a result, we are not the people God intended us to be by nature. But in our fallen state, we have the potential to satiate Jesus’ spiritual thirst.

As you think about your own life, what do you see? Can you see yourself as spoiled wine? Perhaps it is a bit humiliating to think of yourself this way. But humility is good, especially when we understand that our Lord longs for us in our brokenness. Upon the Cross, Jesus did not cry out for the best of wine, the finest and most delicious. As He thirsted on the Cross, He longed to be satiated by you, in your weakened and broken state, just as you are, so that He can pour forth His cleansing mercy upon you.

As soon as Jesus tasted the sour wine, He cried out, “It is finished.” This symbolically represents His soul being satiated by you every time you turn to Him in your need. It’s amazing to consider the fact that you have the ability to console the Heart of Jesus and satiate His thirst this way. Saint Thérèse of Lisieux was very fond of a devotion dedicated to consoling Jesus’ Heart. As a child, she was given a prayer card that pictured Jesus in prison, looking out at one small flower. Thérèse saw herself as that one small flower who was given the mission to console Jesus’ Heart by visiting Him regularly in the prison of the tabernacle.

Spiritually speaking, that moment of Jesus’ thirst on the Cross permeates all time and continues today. Every time you come to Him in your need, especially when you come before Him in the Eucharist, He turns His eyes to you and calls to you, inviting you to console Him by offering Him the humility and brokenness of your life. 

Today our churches are empty. The Blessed Sacrament has been removed. As a result, we should seek to satiate the thirst of our Lord by thirsting for His divine presence that will return on Easter when the Mass is celebrated once again. Today is a day to grow in our desire for the presence of our Lord in our lives. We must allow ourselves to feel His loss, experience His death, and mourn His suffering. As we do, we must open ourselves to a deep spiritual longing to consume His broken Body and precious Blood once again. Doing so will not only prepare us to be satiated ourselves, it will also enable us to satiate the Heart of our Lord.

Reflect, today, upon Jesus on the Cross. Gaze at Him as He gazes at you. See the longing in His Heart for you. Know that He gave His life for you, so that you could receive the gift of new life. Know, also, that your openness to this gift of His life poured out for you will console our Lord’s Heart and bring His divine mission of salvation to fruition. Satiate our Lord’s thirst today so that He can once again say, “It is finished.”

Standing by the Cross with Love

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion (Year C)

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. John 19:25–27

If you spent time this Lent pondering the beautiful image of Jesus’ mother standing by the foot of the Cross, then you have some insight into her motherly love and experience on Good Friday. She was faithful to the end. She would have been no other place than at the foot of the Cross, gazing upon the sacrificial death of her own divine Son for the salvation of the world.

From all the perspectives that we can use to gaze upon the Cross, the perspective of Jesus’ own mother is the best. The soldiers stood there mocking our Lord, perhaps some confused and perhaps some even feeling pity for Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees looked on with contempt and self righteousness, doubling down on their hatred and jealousy. Most of the Apostles had fled, one of them betraying Jesus and another denying that he even knew our Lord. But Jesus’ own mother, accompanied by some other holy women and the beloved disciple, John, stood there with love, offering consolation to the Heart of Jesus.

The love shared between mother and Son at the foot of the Cross was twofold in the heart of Mary. Her love for her Son expressed her unwavering fidelity to Him. It dispelled all fear. It was singularly focused. It was all-consuming. As she shared this love for her Son, she truly consoled Him. This is a significant fact to ponder. Since Jesus was the Son of God, He didn’t need the human consolation of His mother’s love at that moment. But by becoming human, Jesus chose to accept her love. In that act of acceptance, He allowed her human love to console His human heart. This consoling and steadfast love expressed the perfection of human love.

The second form of love shared between mother and Son at the foot of the Cross was the love given by Jesus to His mother. At its core, this love was the gift of salvation. For her, the grace of His Cross transcended time to the moment of her conception, freeing her from Original Sin. Jesus’ love on the Cross transformed her, retroactively, into the Immaculate Conception and enabled her to know Jesus not only as her Son but also as her Savior. Jesus’ love in that moment on the Cross is also expressed in His unwavering commitment to care for her in her human state. He gave her to John to care for her as his own mother and, in so doing, He gave her to all of us who stand at the foot of the Cross with her as our own spiritual mother.

If you want to understand the love of God, look no further than this immaculate and perfect love shared between mother and Son at the foot of the Cross. Today, especially, you are invited to stand with the Apostle John and gaze upon this shared love of mother and Son. John is there as an invitation to you to stand with them and to share in this holy exchange of love.

As you witness this love, think about your own life and what it would take for you to participate in such love. Consider the courage and strength you need. The ability to forgive all who harmed you. Freedom from all bitterness. Unwavering commitment. Perfect affection. These, and many other qualities that were present in the hearts of mother and Son at the Cross are all qualities that God wants to bestow upon you. He wants you to bring them into every relationship in your life. He wants the perfection of this love to come upon you and for you to  express this love always.

Reflect, today, on this Good Friday, upon this most holy scene of the love of this mother and this Son. As you do, try to examine your own life. As you look at this mother and Son’s many virtues, allow that gaze to reveal to you the ways you need to grow in virtue. The Mother of God is now your mother, and the Son of God is now your Savior. Speak to them, listen to them, love them and allow the love that flows from their hearts to penetrate your own so that you can receive their love and share it with others.

Holy Saturday with Mother Mary

Holy Saturday

The Savior of the World died a cruel death upon the Cross. His broken body was laid in the tomb. His disciples scattered and were fearful that they would be next. But our Blessed Mother kept vigil in the perfect hope that her Son would soon rise.

Traditionally, Saturdays within the Church year are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. This ancient tradition developed in part due to the belief that, as others were filled with fear and confusion, Mother Mary kept vigil on Holy Saturday in prayerful anticipation of Jesus’ resurrection. She knew her Son would rise. She had hope beyond hope. Her faith was certain. Her love kept her vigilant as she awaited the return of her Son.

For many centuries, it has been suggested that the first person to whom Jesus appeared after His Resurrection was His own mother. Pope Saint John Paul II believed this. Saint Ignatius of Loyola believed it. And many others throughout the centuries shared this belief.

For these reasons, Holy Saturday is an ideal day to ponder the pondering heart of our Blessed Mother. There are several times in Sacred Scripture where we are told that Mother Mary pondered the mysteries of her Son’s life in her heart. She was one of the few who stood by Him in His agony and death. She stood before the Cross and prayerfully pondered His perfect sacrifice. The Blessed Mother held His dead body in her arms and pondered where His spirit had gone. And today she keeps vigil, pondering His imminent return to her.

Ponder her pondering heart. Try to unite your own heart with hers. Try to understand what she was thinking and hoping. Try to feel what she felt this sorrowful day. Try to experience her faith, her trust and her joyful expectation.

So many people in this world walk in despair and confusion. So many have lost hope in the new life that awaits them. So many have their own form of interior death without allowing God to draw them into His Resurrection. So many people today need the hope that was so alive in the heart of our Blessed Mother that first Holy Saturday.

Ponder the reality of Holy Saturday in silence this day and allow the glorious heart of our Blessed Mother to inspire you and draw you more deeply into her life of faith, hope and love.

Dearest Mother Mary, on that first Holy Saturday, you kept vigil for your Son. You allowed the divine gift of hope to grow within you, and you allowed that hope to be your strength in the midst of the horror of the Cross. Pray for me that I may ponder your beautiful heart this day so that I, too, may be filled with hope as I endure the challenges of this earthly life. Give me a heart of joyful anticipation as I await the grace of new life our Lord so deeply desires to bestow upon me. Mother Mary, pray for me.  Jesus, I do trust in You.

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What to Know About the Origins and Meanings of the Major Holy Week Rituals

F or many Christians, the annual celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ — a key moment in the religion’s calendar — begins long before Easter Sunday.

Holy Week, which begins on Palm Sunday and ends on Holy Saturday, comprises the seven days before Easter Sunday. During that time, Christians, in special ceremonies and through distinct rituals, commemorate the words and actions of Jesus’ final week before his crucifixion. While the events of Holy Week are significant to both Catholics and Protestants, the first practices more structured liturgies associated with each day, mostly as described in the Roman Missal.

Here are the major rituals and their origins, from carrying branches on Palm Sunday to retracing the Stations of the Cross on Good Friday — and how those rituals have evolved over the years.

Palm Sunday

The earliest known record of any Holy Week observance, which includes a description of Palm Sunday, is found in the travel diaries of a woman named Egeria . Egeria, also known as Etheria, was a nun who documented her pilgrimage to the Holy Land in the late 4th century.

In her account , she wrote of the scene in Jerusalem on that day, when Christians celebrate Jesus’ entry into the city of Jerusalem:

“…as the eleventh hour approaches, the passage from the Gospel is read, where the children, carrying branches and palms, met the Lord, saying; Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, and the bishop immediately rises, and all the people with him, and they all go on foot from the top of the Mount of Olives, all the people going before him with hymns and antiphons, answering one to another: Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord. And all the children in the neighbourhood, even those who are too young to walk, are carried by their parents on their shoulders, all of them bearing branches, some of palms and some of olives, and thus the bishop is escorted in the same manner as the Lord was of old.”

The actions described by Egeria are believed to be a way of replicating the celebration of the arrival of Jesus as depicted in the Gospels, and even today many celebrants will carry palm branches or small crosses made of palm leaves. “They’re waving branches as a sign of welcome and delight at Jesus’ entry into the city,” says Father Jan Michael Joncas, who holds a Doctorate in Sacred Liturgy from the Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm in Rome. These days, he explains, the liturgy on Palm Sunday reproduces the detail that appears in the Gospels. There are three main forms of the practice.

The first is known as the procession, during which participants wave branches while walking into the church and singing. In the book Glory in the Cross: Holy Week in the Third Edition of the Roman Missal , Paul Turner writes that the procession was, for many centuries, not part of the Palm Sunday experience — and that when it was added to the liturgy in 1955, “the procession rubric appeared not in the first paragraphs, but in the seventeenth, after the blessing of palms.” He notes that the historical antecedent of the procession was, in fact, Egeria’s account of the liturgy in Jerusalem.

The second form is known as the “solemn entrance.” Here, the majority of the congregants start the Mass from inside the church but a smaller group meets with clergy to enter the church together “in a solemn way,” as Joncas puts it. Finally, the “simple entrance” can be practiced. This is when the procession is omitted, and Mass begins in the conventional way. Today the “simple entrance” is the most frequently practiced, largely as a matter of ease.

“Communities today,” Turner writes, “will be attracted to the third form at Masses that pose practical difficulties because of the hour of the day, the schedule of other Masses, or the shortage of assisting ministers.”

Maundy Thursday

The next day in Holy Week with major observances is Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday. This is the day Christians remember the Last Supper, when Jesus gave his disciples bread and wine to establish the Eucharist, and washed their feet. The term “Maundy” comes from the Latin word mandatum — meaning command — and references Jesus’ words to the disciples: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

Two services occur on Maundy Thursday: the Chrism Mass and the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. In the first, Chrism — oil used in sacraments including baptisms and confirmations — and other holy oils are blessed and distributed to parishes. Joncas explains that, due to the logistics, this service often does not actually take place on Holy Thursday. The earliest record of the blessing of oils appears in the Apostolic Tradition , an early Christian document commonly acknowledged to be dated before 235 CE. Today, consecrating the oils is closely tied to preparation for Holy Saturday’s Easter Vigil, as thousands are baptized into the Catholic Church in the U.S. on this day.

The other service on Maundy Thursday, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, is when the foot-washing ceremony usually takes place. The practice has its roots in biblical passages describing Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. When the custom began in the church, only men had their feet washed — and often precisely 12 men, to represent the 12 Apostles. “Over the last 25 years or so, that’s really changed,” Joncas says. In 1987, the chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on the Liturgy for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement acknowledging that women had already started to participate in the rite in many places, and since then, the recipients of the foot-washing have continued to diversify.

Susan B. Reynolds, a Catholic Studies professor at Emory University Candler School of Theology, says the foot-washing liturgy on Holy Thursday has evolved even more since Pope Francis became the head of the Catholic Church in 2013. “He’s washed the feet of youth in juvenile detention center , for example; he’s washed the feet of migrants and refugees, of prisoners, ” Reynolds notes. “Traditionally speaking, the Pope would only wash the feet of men.”

She adds that there’s something very potent about the image of a community washing the feet of those whom society tends to despite and marginalize. “It’s this kind of a subversion of a power dynamic,” Reynolds says.

Good Friday

On Good Friday, the day of Holy Week that commemorates the crucifixion, a major observance is the Christian community retracing the Stations of the Cross, also known as the Way of the Cross. The practice has roots in the 15th century, and originated from the walking of the Via Dolorosa, the path in Jerusalem believed to be taken by Jesus between his condemnation by Pontius Pilate and his crucifixion — and ending with his burial.

For Christians who do not make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, the devotional exercise is practiced in local churches. Reynolds explains that statues or paintings depicting the 14 stations , such as Jesus bearing the cross and Jesus meeting his mother, are located around the sanctuary. This allows the concept of the pilgrimage to be replicated within the space of a church, as congregants visit the stations and participate in prayer and reflection.

“Over the centuries, communities throughout the world have adopted the ritual in ways that speak to their challenges,” Reynolds adds. For example, in a number of urban areas in the U.S., the 14 stations have been placed in locations where suffering and death have visited the community throughout the year prior. “Let’s say Jesus falls for the first time, the station would be on a street corner where someone has been killed,” she says.

The route is often recontextualized as such to bring the Easter narrative of a cycle of pain and death, followed by the hope of resurrection, into present situations. “What’s so compelling about the ritual and why it’s endured for centuries is because there’s something very universal — this road of suffering, that in some ways we all walk as individuals and in community,” Reynolds says.

Holy Saturday

The final day of Holy Week, Holy Saturday, remembers Jesus’ followers holding a vigil for him outside of his tomb. Back in the second century CE, Christians fasted between nightfall on Good Friday and dawn on Easter Sunday, in the spirit of the first followers. By the fourth century, the time of the vigil started on Saturday at dusk , which is when Holy Saturday services usually begin these days. The service focuses on a transition from darkness to light, and the Paschal Candle is lit on Sunday to represent the new light that Jesus brought into the world.

As time passed, the time of the Easter Vigil shifted earlier, and started to be observed on Saturday morning. “That made almost all of the ceremonies and all of the texts really bizarre,” Joncas said, because the passages about total darkness — addressing the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion — appeared to be out of place in the daytime service.

That was why it was a relief to many when, during the reform of Holy Week liturgies in 1956, the Easter Vigil was placed back to the evening. Today, the liturgy runs from sunset on Holy Saturday to sunrise on Easter Sunday. It involves the service of light — with the blessing and the lighting of the Paschal Candle — followed by readings from the Old and New Testaments and baptisms that welcome new members into the church. Then comes the Eucharist, and with that the first Mass of Easter Sunday is on its way.

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Holy Week Timeline: Bible Verses and Meaning

Read the biblical timeline of Holy Week, from Jesus triumphantly entering Jerusalem to His crucifixion and burial in the tomb. Discover the scripture accounts of the seven days that led up to His glorious resurrection and victory over death.

What Happened during Holy Week in the Bible?

The Days of Holy Week

Palm sunday.

• Holy Monday
• Holy Tuesday
• Holy Wednesday (Spy Wednesday)
• Maundy Thursday
• Good Friday
• Holy Saturday

On the Sunday before his crucifixion, Jesus started his journey to Jerusalem, understanding that he would be killed there for the sins of mankind. Close to the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples forward, telling them to find a donkey and its untamed colt. The disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him.

Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and gently, meekly, made his celebrated entry into Jerusalem, accomplishing the biblical prophecy in Zechariah 9:9 :

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The crowds there greeted him by waving palm branches and yelling, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

On the evening of Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples went to Bethany, a town roughly two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha, resided. They were dear friends of Jesus and likely hosted Christ and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.

The Bible account of Palm Sunday is found in Matthew 21:1-11 , Mark 11:1-11 , Luke 19:28-44 , and John 12:12-19 . Read the whole Bible Story of Palm Sunday .

Get your FREE 8-Day Prayer and Scripture Guide - Praying Through the Holy Week HERE .  Print your own copy for a beautiful daily devotional leading up to Easter.

Holy Monday: Jesus at the Temple and the Cursed Fig Tree

The following morning, Jesus returned with his disciples to Jerusalem. Along the way, he cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars consider this cursing of the fig tree to symbolize God's judgment on Israel's spiritually dead religious leaders. Others believe the analogy reached to all believers, explaining that true faith is more than just outward religiosity; true, living faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.

When Jesus appeared at the Temple, he discovered the courts full of corrupt money changers. He overturned their tables and cleared the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves" ( Luke 19:46 ).

On Monday evening, Jesus stayed in Bethany again, likely in the home of his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. 

The Bible account of Holy Monday is found in Matthew 21:12-22 , Mark 11:15-19 , Luke 19:45-48 , and John 2:13-17 . Read the Bible Story of the Cursed Fig Tree

Holy Tuesday: Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives

On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. At the Temple, Jewish religious leaders were enraged at Jesus for establishing himself as a spiritual authority. They arranged an ambush with the intent to put him under arrest. But Jesus eluded their traps and declared severe judgments on them, saying: 

"Blind guides!...For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" ( Matthew 23:24-33 )

Later that day, Jesus left Jerusalem and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which overlooks the city. There Jesus delivered the Olivet Discourse, an extensive revelation about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He speaks, as usual, in parables, using symbolic language about the end times events, including His Second Coming and the final judgment.

The Bible designates that on this day Judas Iscariot agreed with the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court of ancient Israel, to betray Jesus ( Matthew 26:14-16 ).

The Bible account of Holy Tuesday and the Olivet Discourse is found in Matthew 21:23 ; 24:51, Mark 11:20 ; 13:37, Luke 20:1 ; 21:36, and John 12:20-38 .

Holy Wednesday: Judas Betrayed Christ

Although scripture doesn't affirm what the Lord did on Holy Wednesday, theologians consider that after two days in Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples used this day to rest in Bethany in expectation of Passover.

It is traditionally believed that Judas agreed to betray Jesus on the Wednesday before Easter Sunday.

"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,  And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.  And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him." ( Matthew 26:14-16 )

" Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.  And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.  Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.  And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.  And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money." ( Luke 22:1-5 )

Learn more:  Why is the Wednesday of Holy Week is called "Spy Wednesday"?

Maundy Thursday: Passover and the Last Supper

On the Thursday of Holy Week, Jesus washed His disciples' feet as they prepared to share in the Passover. By doing this humble act of service, Jesus showed by example how His followers should love one another. Today, many churches follow foot-washing commemorations as a component of their Maundy Thursday worship services.

Then, Jesus bestowed the feast of Passover, also known as the Last Supper, with his disciples, stating:

"I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." ( Luke 22:15-16 , ESV)

As the Lamb of God , Jesus fulfilled Passover's purpose by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, saving us from sin and death. During this Last Supper, Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or Communion, teaching his disciples to continuously recognize his sacrifice by sharing in the bread and wine. 

"And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."  ( Luke 22:19-20 )

After the meal, Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in anguish to God the Father. The book of Luke states that "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" ( Luke 22:44 , ESV).

Late that night in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the full council had assembled to make their claim against Jesus. In the early morning, as Jesus' trial was beginning, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.

The Bible account of Maundy Thursday is found in Matthew 26:17-75 , Mark 14:12-72 , Luke 22:7-62 , and John 13:1-38 .

Bible Story of the Last Supper ;  Bible Story of Peter Denies Jesus Christ

Good Friday: Jesus' Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

According to the Bible, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overwhelmed with guilt and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Jesus suffered the shame of false accusations, rebukes, ridicule, whippings, and abandonment. After various unlawful trials, he was condemned to death by crucifixion, one of the most painful and disgraceful practices of capital punishment known at the time.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers pierced him with a crown of thorns while mocking Him as "King of the Jews." Then Jesus carried his crucifixion cross to Calvary where he again was mocked and defamed as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross.

Jesus delivered seven final remarks from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." ( Luke 23:34 ESV). His last words were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" ( Luke 23:46 ESV) By Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had taken Jesus' body down from the cross and laid it in a tomb.

The Bible account of Good Friday is found in Matthew 27:1-62 , Mark 15:1-47 , Luke 22:63 , 23:56, and John 18:28 ; 19:37.

What’s So Good about Good Friday? ;  The Seven Last Words of Jesus

Holy Saturday: Christ in the Tomb

The body of Jesus was laid in its tomb, where it was watched by Roman soldiers during the day on Saturday, the Sabbath. At the end of Holy Saturday, Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices bought by Nicodemus:

"Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews." ( John 19:39-40 , ESV)

Like Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish court that had denounced Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as unknown followers of Jesus, scared to make a public declaration of faith because of their notable positions in the Jewish community. Likewise, both were genuinely affected by Christ's death. They bravely came out of hiding, endangering their prestige and their lives, recognizing that Jesus was, in fact, the long-awaited Messiah. Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial.

As His physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by giving the perfect, immaculate sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation:

"Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." ( 1 Peter 1:18-19 , ESV) 

These are the events of the week before the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday .

The Bible account of Holy Saturday is found in Matthew 27:62-66 , Mark 16:1 , Luke 23:56 , and John 19:40 . Read more: What Happened on Holy Saturday?

Read the Bible chapters referenced in the Holy Week timeline below and find articles, sermons, and podcasts related to Holy Week.

Matthew 21 Commentaries

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Easter Week in Real Time

More By Russ Ramsey

As we enter Holy Week—that sacred span from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday—here is a day-by-day breakdown of what Scripture tells us happened on each day.

Use this guide to lead you through Scripture reading this week.

Palm Sunday

(For a full account of the events of this day, see Matthew 21:1–11, Mark 11:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, John 12:9–19.)

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem perched on a colt, it was the first time since raising Lazarus from the dead that he’d shown his face in the city. The story of Lazarus’s resurrection had circulated so that many regarded Jesus as a celebrity. Everyone wanted to catch a glimpse. They went out to meet him and received him like a King, because they heard he had done this (John 12:18).

Jesus said Lazarus’s death would end in the faith of many, and in the “glory of God—that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). But the glory he had in mind was even more glorious than his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. In fact, he wasn’t referring to the glory these people gave him at all. Lazarus’s resurrection would steel the resolve of the religious leaders to hand Jesus over to a death he would embrace—a death he would conquer. That was the glory he meant. As he rode into Jerusalem, the people cried, “Your King is coming!” They praised his victory over Lazarus’s death. But the irony was that he wasn’t coming to claim his crown on account of Lazarus’s death and resurrection, but on account of his own.

Monday         

If Jerusalem was a beehive, with his triumphal entry Jesus had hit it with a stick. You could hear the buzz grow as the anger within got organized. His kingly arrival was a strong declaration about his authority over all the conventions of man.

On Monday, Jesus returns for more—this time to declare the failure of God’s people to live up to their covenant mandate to be a blessing to the world. Much of what the Gospels tell us about Monday centers on the theme of Jesus’s authority—both over the created world and his right to judge it. Everything Jesus did, he did with authority. So when he awoke his disciples Monday saying he wanted to go back into Jerusalem to teach, as risky as it sounded it wasn’t surprising. Everyone sensed something stirring, as if Jesus had rounded a corner and his end was coming fast. He was a marked man.

Tuesday        

(For a full account of the events of this day, see Matthew 21:23–26:5, Mark 11:27–14:2, Luke 20:1–22:2, John 12:37–50.)

If Monday’s arrival in the temple was an all-inclusive, living parable of cleansing God’s house, Tuesday’s entrance is a direct, verbal confrontation with the appointed leadership. After Jesus clarifies he doesn’t regard these leaders as having any authority over him, he spends the rest of the day right there in the temple to teach the people God’s Word. But Tuesday afternoon is the last time Jesus publicly teaches in the temple as a free man. His words on this day are his closing argument, his manifesto.

When Jesus leaves the temple on Tuesday, the chief priests and scribes are “seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him” (Mark 14:1). But they can’t take his life from him solely on the strength of the charges they plan to bring—not if he defends himself. But he won’t. Instead, by his silence, he’ll offer up his life for a world of blasphemers and traitors and liars. This was what he has come to do, and as he exits the temple that Tuesday afternoon, he knows he will do it soon.

(For a full account of the events of this day, see Matthew 26:6–16, Mark 14:3–11, Luke 22:3–6.)

The past several days have been a rush of tension and anger for Jesus’s opponents—and of unflinching resolve for Jesus. Words have been his currency, and he’s spent piles of them. But on the Wednesday before his death, Jesus is still. 

He is in the home of Simon the Leper, a man known by what’s wrong with him. During their meal together, Mary of Bethany—Lazarus’s sister (John 12:3)—comes to Jesus with an alabaster flask of perfume. She’s been saving this perfume, worth a year’s wages, for this exact occasion (John 12:7). She begins pouring it on Jesus’s head and feet, which requires breaking open its container (Mark 14:3). Like popping the cork on a $20,000 bottle of champagne, this was a deliberate act. She is offering Jesus everything she has. By giving her most valuable possession to him, she is expressing her knowledge that what he’s about to give of himself is for her. 

What Mary does is beautiful, and Jesus wants everyone to know it. She is preparing him for burial. There is honor and kindness in her gesture. Jesus returns the honor by saying history will never forget her act of beauty. And we haven’t.

(For a full account of the events of this day, see Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12–72, Luke 22:7–71, John 13:1–18:27.)

The Thursday prior to Jesus’s crucifixion fills many pages in Scripture. It begins with John and Peter securing the upper room. There, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet, explaining he is there to make them clean. 

As they begin to eat, Jesus announces one of them is about to betray him. Each wonders if he means them. Then he dispatches Judas to do what he intends.

During this last supper, Jesus sets apart the Passover bread and cup and reassigns—or better, perfects—their meaning. The bread is his body. The cup, his blood. This meal will no longer remind them of God’s deliverance primarily from the external tyranny of Pharaoh, but from the internal tyranny of their own guilt and sin against God.

Good Friday

(For a full account of the events of this day, see Matthew 27:1–61, Mark 15:1–47, Luke 23:1–56, John 18:28–19:42.)

On Thursday night in Gethsemane, Jesus was arrested—betrayed by one of his disciples and abandoned by the others. The chief priests and the Sanhedrin called for secret trials in the dead of night, and the verdict handed down was that Jesus would be crucified. This is something the Roman prefect, Pontius Pilate, has to execute. And reluctantly, he does.

After a severe beating, Jesus is nailed to a cross where he remains for six hours until dead. Never before or since has more been lost and gained at the same time. The world gained the atoning sacrifice of Christ. But for those present, either the significance of the moment is lost on them or their hearts break as the One they thought to be the Savior of the world dies at the hands of Rome. They can’t stop it, and they don’t realize it’s for them. They hoped in him, and though he’d told them he would suffer many things and rise three days later (Mark 8:31), how could they have possibly known this was what he meant? 

Saturday—The Forgotten Day     

(For a full account of the events of this day as found in the Gospels, see Matthew 27:62–66.)

Less is written about the Saturday following Jesus’s crucifixion than any other in the scope of this week. Yet what makes it unique is that this is the only full day in history where the body of Christ lies buried in a cave. 

Yesterday, he was crucified. Tomorrow, he rises from the grave. But what about today? Though we may not make much of this day, when we look at the few verses the Gospels give us about it, we find it was by no means forgotten by the chief priests who had handed Jesus over to death. During his earthly ministry, Jesus repeatedly said he would die in Jerusalem at the hands of the chief priests, yet on the third day rise again (e.g., Matt. 12:40; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34).

Of course, the chief priests scoffed. But they didn’t forget it. On the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, Jesus’s prediction preoccupies their thoughts such that they simply can’t leave it alone. Matthew 27:62–66 tells the strange story of how they can’t dismiss out of hand the possibility that Jesus might know something they don’t.

Resurrection Sunday

(For a full account of the events of this day, see Matthew 28:1–20, Mark 16:1–8, Luke 24:1–53, John 20:1–21:25.)

Early Sunday morning, some of Jesus’s friends set out for his grave to anoint the body of their friend and teacher. When they arrive, however, they are greeted by what one Gospel writer calls “a man dressed in lightning.” He tells them Jesus is not there, as he said. He is risen.

In the week leading up to his death, the Good Shepherd went out to meet the wolves of judgment, sin, and death—and he did so with all authority. One might wonder, what good has it ever done anyone to die for some cause? This is the glorious beauty of the gospel. Jesus didn’t die as a martyr for a cause. He was never in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was never at the mercy of anyone. He lived, died, and was buried because he meant to be.

No one took his life from him. He laid it down. For whom? For his flock, his people.

And he laid it down only to take it up again (John 10:18). The point of the cross was not just to die, but to die and rise again, defeating the prowling wolves of sin and death themselves.

Easter says of Jesus, “He meant it! He meant to lay down his life for you. And as surely as he has taken it up again, he knows you and loves you.”

Editors’ note: For a fuller look at the first Holy Week, see Andreas Köstenberger and Justin Taylor’s book,  The Final Days of Jesus: The Most Important Week of the Most Important Person Who Ever Lived (Crossway, 2014). A version of this article appeared at the Christ Presbyterian blog. The above timeline reflects one possible breakdown of the events of the last week of Jesus’s earthly ministry, based on this author’s best synthesis of the four Gospel accounts.

Is there enough evidence for us to believe the Gospels?

Russ Ramsey is a pastor at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, where he lives with his wife and four children. He grew up in the fields of Indiana and studied at Taylor University and Covenant Theological Seminary (MDiv, ThM). Russ is the author of Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith (Zondervan, 2022), the Retelling the Story series (IVP, 2018), and Struck: One Christian’s Reflections on Encountering Death (IVP, 2017).

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Journeying through Holy Week: A time for reflection and renewal

Holy Week is the very heart of the Bible, according to a senior pastor of the Christian Revival Crusade Mission Global Outreach Fellowship (CMGO).

“Ito ang sentro ng pananampalataya ng mga Kristyano (This is the center of the faith of Christians),” Pastor Rizaldy Sotolombo said in an exclusive interview with the Manila Bulletin on Tuesday, March 26.

He said that, although there are different beliefs and cultures in the world, “what unifies us is the remembrance of the death of the Lord Jesus on the Cross of Calvary”.

Sotolombo said that all believers share the same aspiration, and foremost among these is for each one to receive forgiveness from the Lord.

“Ito ang isa sa pinakamahalaga sa pananampalataya ng Kristyano–ang Holy Week (This is one of the most important in the faith of Christians—the Holy Week),” he highlighted.

Sotolombo noted that Holy Week stands as a vibrant thread, weaving together the final moments of Jesus Christ's earthly journey.

From the jubilant cries of "Hosanna" on Palm Sunday to the triumphant proclamation of "He is risen" on Easter Sunday, this sacred timeline invites believers into a profound journey of reflection and renewal.

Palm Sunday: The Triumphal Entry

The week commences with Palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The air is thick with anticipation as Jesus, mounted on a humble donkey, is hailed as king by throngs of adoring followers. They lay palm branches at his feet, symbolizing honor and victory. Yet, beneath the surface of celebration, lies the foreshadowing of the sacrifice to come.

Holy Monday: Inner Righteousness Revealed

As the week progresses, the tone shifts from celebration to solemn reflection. On Holy Monday, Jesus confronts a barren fig tree, a metaphor for spiritual fruitlessness. He cleanses the temple, driving out merchants and rebuking those who prioritize commerce over communion. In his actions, we are reminded of the call to cultivate inner righteousness, not merely outward appearances.

Holy Tuesday: The Power of Faith

Holy Tuesday finds Jesus engaged in profound teachings and parables, challenging the religious elite and imparting wisdom about the Kingdom of God. Amidst discussions of faith and fidelity, Jesus predicts his impending betrayal and the events that will transpire. His words resonate with timeless truths, reminding us of the power of faith to move mountains and the consequences of spiritual blindness.

Holy Wednesday: Peace Amidst the Storm

As the week progresses, emotions intensify, and the plot against Jesus deepens. Yet, during the chaos, Jesus stands as a symbol of peace and calmness. He continues to impart his teachings with unwavering determination, despite the looming threats against him. In the turbulence of life's challenges, we take comfort in the steadfast presence of our Savior, whose serene presence brings a sense of calmness that goes beyond comprehension.

Maundy Thursday: The Ultimate Act of Service

On Maundy Thursday, the narrative reaches its peak as Jesus shares a final meal with his disciples. In a profound display of humility, he washes their feet, modeling servant leadership and sacrificial love. As he breaks bread and shares the cup, he institutes the sacrament of communion, inviting us into intimate fellowship with him. Yet, even as he prepares to face betrayal and death, Jesus submits fully to the will of the Father, embodying the essence of obedience.

Good Friday: The Sacrifice of Love

On Good Friday, the air is heavy with the sound of nails piercing wood and the heartbreaking cries of a Savior suspended on a cross. As Jesus takes his final breaths, the earth itself seems to shudder, and the temple curtain tears, a poignant symbol of the bond being mended between God and humanity. In his passing, we discover redemption; in his selfless act of sacrifice, we uncover our path to salvation.

Holy Saturday: The Silence Before the Dawn

Holy Saturday envelops us in a mantle of silence as the world awaits the dawn of resurrection. Within the tomb's stillness, we reflect on the deep mystery of death and the hope of renewed life. Even as the Sabbath is honored and guards keep watch, a glimmer of hope dances in the shadows, hinting at the imminent arrival of the resurrection's light.

Resurrection Sunday: The Triumph of Life Over Death

At the break of dawn on Resurrection Sunday, the world is forever changed as the stone is rolled away and the tomb stands empty. Mary Magdalene and her companions encounter the risen Christ, and their grief transforms into exultant joy. In the radiant light of the resurrection, we find the fulfillment of God's promise and the assurance of eternal life.

A Journey of Faith and Transformation

As Holy Week draws to a close, hearts emerge from its sacred embrace transformed and renewed, carrying with them the echoes of a profound journey.

"This Holy Week, let's not be drawn away by the allure of beaches or vacation spots," urged Sotolombo. "Instead, let's immerse ourselves in the remembrance of the Lord's journey, seeking moments of quiet reflection."

"It's crucial for people to grasp the significance of Holy Week," he emphasized. "It's not just about forgiveness; it's about liberation from all burdens and curses."

Sotolombo recognized that anxieties and loneliness often stem from the weight of sin. Yet, he reminded, "When one finds freedom in the Lord, joy, freedom, and peace naturally follow."

"During this Holy Week, as you reflect," he added, "you're not just accepting forgiveness; you're finding solace in the presence of the Lord."

The pastor underlined Jesus' purpose during Holy Week. "His purpose is clear: to extend forgiveness to humanity, a grace unattainable through mere human sacrifice."

"Remember," he concluded, "obedience is better than sacrifice. The Lord's death on the Cross embodies mercy and grace, beyond the reach of any single act of sacrifice."

As Holy Week bids its farewell, the resonance of these reflections lingers, guiding souls toward transformation and renewal, echoing the enduring message of love, forgiveness, and redemption.

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Your two-minute guide to Holy Week

Heard of Holy Week, but not really sure what happens in it or what it’s all about? Discover the key events – and the underlying message – of Holy Week with this quick summary.

What is Holy Week?

An important week-long event in the Christian calendar, Holy Week celebrates the death and miraculous rising of Jesus Christ, a Jewish teacher said to have lived roughly 2,000 years ago. 

But are there any signs that show he really was a spiritual teacher back then? Explore the evidence for yourself with:  Man or Myth? Is there evidence that Jesus existed?

So, what days fall in Holy Week?

The key days of Holy Week are:

Palm Sunday

Maundy thursday, good friday, holy saturday, easter sunday.

But what are the days in Holy Week all about – and what events do they represent?

Falling a week before Easter Sunday, this day celebrates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the capital city of Israel. By this point, Jesus had made quite the name for himself. And, according to the book of Matthew, people flocked to see this influential teacher, preacher and so-called miracle maker:

‘A large crowd of people spread their cloaks on the road while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds walking in front of Jesus and those walking behind began to shout, “Praise to David’s Son! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God!”’ (Matthew 21.8–9).

As the week unfolds, you’ll discover that not everyone felt the same way about Jesus. But, at this point, he had a crowd of supporters, who laid down clothing to create the ancient equivalent of a ‘red carpet moment’ for him as he entered the city, waving what are traditionally portrayed as palm leaves (hence, the name.)

Familiar with the practice of Communion? It’s inspired by the second major event of Holy Week: Maundy Thursday. 

But what happened on this day?

Even though, just a few chapters earlier, the Bible writers describe Jesus’ warm welcome into Jerusalem, tensions were rising.

As Jesus continued to challenge the status quo, religious leaders who’d been looking for a chance to arrest him found their opportunity. In exchange for 30 pieces of silver, one of Jesus’ close followers, Judas Iscariot, agreed to reveal Jesus’ identity to a group led by chief priests so they could arrest him. His arrest took place shortly after he’d shared a Passover meal with his close friends and followers.

But why is it called Maundy Thursday?

It’s taken from the Latin word,  mandatum , which means ‘mandate’ – AKA ‘command’. This new mandate relates to the Christian practice of Communion, when people share bread and wine in a symbolic act that mirrors the way Jesus shared this supper with his friends, but also represents Jesus’ own sacrificial act, which is remembered on Good Friday.

Familiar with the phrase about there being two absolute certainties in life? The Bible shows that taxes were a major part of ancient Middle Eastern life too, but it tells a different story about death. And the depictions of Jesus’ life are central to understanding the theme of death within this epic collection of writings. 

Sources from the time say that Jesus was put on trial and sentenced to death for making claims about who he was, and how people should live – claims some of his contemporaries agreed with, but others felt threatened by.

But why is a day about death called Good Friday?

It might be the last name you’d choose, but the word ‘good’ hints at the deeper meaning behind this event. Within Christian teachings, Jesus is good news – even through his death, which is seen a sacrificial act that comes with the promise of new life.

It's easy to view this as a bleak narrative about death, but the story doesn’t end here. And, as the story unfolds, death is replaced with life, and loss is replaced with hope.

How do you feel when you’re waiting for something? Are you filled with nerves, excitement, or a mixture of both?

For Christians, Holy Saturday is a day of waiting. The Bible writers didn’t spend much time explaining what happened the day after Jesus’ death, but they say he was buried in a tomb that was sealed with a large stone. It would have been a day of mourning for his family and friends.

Today, Holy Saturday is celebrated in different ways within the Christian calendar; some mark it with church services while others set out time for quiet reflection.

What gives you hope, even in the darkest times?

For Christians, Easter Sunday is one source of hope.

New Testament writings tell the story of two women – both called Mary, who knew Jesus well – who go to visit his grave. They're said to have experienced a violent earthquake before being visited by an angel, who told them that the tomb was empty: Jesus had risen from the dead.

Naturally, they were terrified and confused. But biblical writings say they then met Jesus for themselves, alive and well as the  angel had said. They shared the news with Jesus’ closest followers, known as the disciples, who responded similarly to how the two women had at first; they were confused, and couldn’t believe it.

However, over time, Jesus appeared to them personally, including when two more of his followers were on their way to visit a village called Emmaus, documented in  Luke 24 . After this, the disciples grew to believe in the seemingly impossible: a miraculous rising.

The high point in the Easter story, this day continues to offer a message of hope to people today. After all, if a man can be brought back to life, is anything really beyond repair?

But what about Easter Monday?

You might be wondering: isn’t Easter Monday a part of Holy Week? And what’s said to have happened to Jesus on Easter Monday anyway?

Traditionally, this day isn’t viewed as a part of Holy Week, despite the fact that it’s known as ‘Easter Monday’, and is a bank holiday in lots of countries (acknowledging that Easter falls on a Sunday).

In the Bible, the events of Easter Monday – the day after the resurrection of Jesus – aren’t described. At least not in a day-by-day account. Instead, we get a description of the next 40 days, when Jesus is said to have lived alongside his friends before returning to heaven.

Why is Holy Week so important?

So, what’s so significant about Holy Week?

For Christians, this is the most important week in the Church calendar. Everything leads up to this event. It marks Jesus’ final days, his death, and his resurrection, a miraculous event that lies at the heart of the Christian faith. 

But what does this ancient message of hope have to say to today?  Rediscover the Easter story  for yourself.

You might also be interested in:

Rediscover Easter

It's that familiar festival we mark every year, but what is Easter really about? And could this ancient story have something to say to you today?

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Wondering what Lent is and why it’s celebrated? Explore the inspiration behind the event – and whether it might have anything to offer you today.

Easter Reborn: From the Rites of Spring to the Rising of Jesus

Chocolate eggs. The Easter Bunny. Does Easter have ancient pagan roots? How did it become associated with Jesus? Discover the true origins of Easter.

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Holy Week Timeline: From Palm Sunday to the Resurrection

Follow along with the steps of Jesus Christ during Holy Week

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While the exact order of events during Holy Week is debated by biblical scholars, this timeline represents an approximate outline of major events of the most holy days on the Christian calendar. Follow along with the steps of Jesus Christ  from  Palm Sunday through Resurrection Sunday, exploring the major events that occurred on each day.

Day 1: Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday

On the Sunday before his death , Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples ahead, telling them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him.

Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in Zechariah 9:9:

"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David ! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"

On Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where  Lazarus , whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters,  Mary and Martha , lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and probably hosted Him and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.

Jesus' triumphal entry is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.

Day 2: On Monday, Jesus Clears the Temple

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The following morning, Jesus returned with his disciples to Jerusalem. Along the way, he cursed a fig tree because it had failed to bear fruit. Some scholars believe this cursing of the fig tree represented God's judgment on the spiritually dead religious leaders of Israel. Others believe the symbolism extended to all believers, demonstrating that genuine faith is more than just outward religiosity; true, living faith must bear spiritual fruit in a person's life.

When Jesus arrived at the Temple, he found the courts full of corrupt money changers . He began overturning their tables and clearing the Temple, saying, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves" (Luke 19:46).

On Monday evening Jesus stayed in Bethany again, probably in the home of his friends, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus . 

Monday's events are recorded in Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, and John 2:13-17.

Day 3: On Tuesday, Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives

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On Tuesday morning, Jesus and his disciples returned to Jerusalem. They passed the withered fig tree on their way, and Jesus spoke to his companions about the importance of faith.

Back at the Temple, religious leaders were upset at Jesus for establishing himself as a spiritual authority. They organized an ambush with the intent to place him under arrest. But Jesus evaded their traps and pronounced harsh judgment on them, saying: 

"Blind guides!...For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness...Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?" (Matthew 23:24-33)

Later that afternoon, Jesus left the city and went with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, which sits due east of the Temple and overlooks Jerusalem. Here Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse, an elaborate prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the age. He speaks, as usual, in parables, using symbolic language about the  end times events, including His Second Coming and the final judgment.

Scripture indicates that this Tuesday was also the day Judas Iscariot negotiated with the Sanhedrin , the rabbinical court of ancient Israel, to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16).

After a tiring day of confrontation and warnings about the future, once again, Jesus and the disciples returned to Bethany to stay the night.

The tumultuous events of Tuesday and the Olivet Discourse are recorded in Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

Day 4: Holy Wednesday

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The Bible doesn't say what the Lord did on the Wednesday of Passion Week. Scholars speculate that after two exhausting days in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples spent this day resting in Bethany in anticipation of  Passover .

Just a short time previously, Jesus had revealed to the disciples, and the world, that he had power over death by raising Lazarus from the grave. After seeing this incredible miracle, many people in Bethany believed that Jesus was the Son of God and put their faith in him. Also in Bethany just a few nights earlier, Lazarus' sister Mary had lovingly anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume.

Day 5: Passover and Last Supper on Maundy Thursday

Holy Week takes a somber turn on Thursday.

From Bethany, Jesus sent Peter and John ahead to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to make the preparations for the Passover Feast. That evening after sunset, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as they prepared to share in the Passover. By performing this humble act of service, Jesus demonstrated by example how believers should love one another. Today, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their ​ Maundy Thursday services.

Then, Jesus shared the feast of Passover with his disciples, saying:

"I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." (Luke 22:15-16, NLT )

As the Lamb of God, Jesus was about to fulfill the meaning of Passover by giving his body to be broken and his blood to be shed in sacrifice, freeing us from sin and death. During this Last Supper , Jesus established the Lord's Supper, or Communion , instructing his followers to continually remember his sacrifice by sharing in the elements of bread and wine (Luke 22:19-20).

Later, Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane , where Jesus prayed in agony to God the Father . Luke's Gospel says that "his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground" (Luke 22:44, ESV ).

Late that evening in Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed with a kiss by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the home of Caiaphas , the High Priest, where the whole council had gathered to begin making their case against Jesus.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours, as Jesus' trial was getting underway, Peter denied knowing his Master three times before the rooster crowed.

Thursday's events are recorded in Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.

Day 6: Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial on Good Friday

Good Friday is the most difficult day of Passion Week. Christ's journey turned treacherous and acutely painful in these final hours leading to his death.

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, the disciple who had betrayed Jesus, was overcome with remorse and hanged himself early Friday morning.

Meanwhile, before the third hour (9 a.m.), Jesus endured the shame of false accusations, condemnation, mockery, beatings, and abandonment. After multiple unlawful trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion , one of the most horrible and disgraceful methods of capital punishment known at the time.

Before Christ was led away, soldiers spit on him, tormented and mocked him, and pierced him with a crown of thorns . Then Jesus carried his own cross to Calvary where, again, he was mocked and insulted as Roman soldiers nailed him to the wooden cross .

Jesus spoke seven final statements from the cross. His first words were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34, NIV ). His last words were, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46, NIV)

Then, about the ninth hour (3 p.m.), Jesus breathed his last breath and died .

By 6 p.m. Friday evening, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea  took Jesus' body down from the cross and lay it in a tomb.

Friday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.

Day 7: Saturday in the Tomb

Jesus' body lay in its  tomb , where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the day on Saturday, which was the Sabbath . When the Sabbath ended at 6 p.m., Christ's body was ceremonially treated for burial with spices purchased by Nicodemus:

"He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes. Following Jewish burial custom, they wrapped Jesus' body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth." (John 19: 39-40, NLT )

Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, was a member of the Sanhedrin, the court that had condemned Jesus Christ to death. For a time, both men had lived as secret followers of Jesus, afraid to make a public profession of faith because of their prominent positions in the Jewish community.

Similarly, both were deeply affected by Christ's death. They boldly came out of hiding, risking their reputations and their lives because they had come to realize that Jesus was, indeed, the long-awaited Messiah . Together they cared for Jesus' body and prepared it for burial.

While his physical body lay in the tomb, Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing our eternal salvation :

"For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God." (1 Peter 1:18-19, NLT )

Saturday's events are recorded in Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.

Day 8: Resurrection Sunday

On Resurrection Sunday , or Easter, we reach the culmination of Holy Week. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important event of the Christian faith. The very foundation of all Christian doctrine hinges on the truth of this account.

Early Sunday morning, several women ( Mary Magdalene , Joanna, Salome, and Mary the mother of James) went to the tomb and discovered that the large stone covering the entrance had been rolled away. An angel announced:

"Don't be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen." (Matthew 28:5-6, NLT )

On the day of his resurrection, Jesus Christ made at least five appearances. Mark's Gospel says the first person to see him was Mary Magdalene. Jesus also appeared to Peter , to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and later that day to all of the disciples except Thomas , while they were gathered in a house for prayer.

The eyewitness accounts in the Gospels provide what Christians believe to be undeniable evidence that the resurrection of Jesus Christ did indeed happen. Two millennia after his death, followers of Christ still flock to Jerusalem to see the empty tomb.

Sunday's events are recorded in Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-23.

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• What Easter Means to Christians
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• Explaining the Differences Between John and the Synoptic Gospels
• Introduction to the Book of Matthew
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• Joseph of Arimathea, Donor of Jesus' Tomb
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Today’s front page, Saturday, April 27, 2024

Holy Week is a time of forgiveness and reflection

• Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual
• March 15, 2018
• 2 minute read

During this time, we must not forget how our Savior sacrificed His life to save us from our sins. We must remember, “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life” ( John 3:16 ).

Holy Week is a time of forgiveness as we are preparing for the celebration of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Father. It is a time to embrace our mistakes and shortcomings, and forgive all who had offended us. “We are the people of God; He loved us and chose us for His own. So then, we must clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” ( Colossians 3:12 ).

Let us not forget that “if we forgive others the wrongs they have done to us, our Father in heaven will also forgive us. But if we do not forgive others, then the Father will not forgive the wrongs we have done”  (Matthew 6:14-15).

We must also take this as an opportunity to reflect with God about ourselves. Through sacrament and prayers, we are able to talk and reconcile with God and reflect on what we have done. In such way, we will be prepared for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ as He is seated at the right hand of the Father.

It is a time for us to “get rid of all bitterness, passion and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort” ( Ephesians 4:31 ).

We should always trust the Lord and “take delight in the Lord, and He will give the desires of our heart. Commit our way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make our righteous reward shine like the dawn, our vindication like the noonday sun” ( Psalm 37:4-6 ).

By means of reflection, we are also offering ourselves to God. But “if we are about to offer our gift to God at the altar and there we remember that our brother has something against us, leave our gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with our brother, and then come back and offer our gift to God” ( Matthew 5:23-24 ).

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us take this season to put the value of “forgiveness” and “reflection” not only in our heart but in our soul. Let us put ourselves in the presence of the Lord so that someday we will be able to enter His Kingdom.

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