Greetings St Stephen’s and the Vine,
The Lenten season is almost at an end. After a period of intense spiritual devotion, fasting, and renewal, we begin our journey to the center of the faith. Our celebration of Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday on April 13. Palm Sunday remembers Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. We recall Jesus’ coming as foretold by the prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures and begin to center our hearts and minds on Christ’s passion. We begin our Palm Sunday liturgy with a liturgy of the Palms which recalls how the citizens of Jerusalem greeted Jesus’ triumphal entry with the waving of palm branches and shouting the praises of Hosanna. Jesus arrives in Jerusalem as the King of peace and not with military might. This is Christ’s unusual coronation. It reminds us that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world and that his royal road leads both him and us to the cross.
The crescendo of Holy Week is the Paschal Triduum or the Easter Triduum. These are the three days that rest at the heart of our liturgical rhythm and our spirituality. These three holy days are the Christian Passover. On Maundy Thursday we remember Jesus’s command to be servants and have a service of foot washing that remembers the moment of holy humility when Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and commands them to do the same. On Good Friday, we are taken to the cross and remember Jesus’ final moments and words. On Good Friday, we remember Jesus’ suffering and the suffering of all the world. On Holy Saturday we linger in between trouble and good news. Holy Saturday is a day for reflection, silence, and watching. We remember the trauma of Good Friday and vigilantly wait for God to have the final word.
After the contemplative pause of Holy Saturday, we celebrate with joy the resurrection of our Lord. The chief celebration on the Christian calendar. This day celebrates God’s ultimate defeat of death, the fulfillment of God’s promises to humankind, and the beginning of new creation and hope. We invite our Alleluias back into worship as we join with creation in the celebration of new life.
This year our Holy Week services will follow a similar pattern to last year with a few new changes. We will have Maundy Thursday at All Saints and Ascension at 6pm. All Saints and Ascension will then join St. Stephen’s and the Vine on Good Friday for our liturgy for the day. We encourage all who are interested in attending an Easter Vigil to join us at Christ Church Cathedral downtown. Finally, Easter will be celebrated at St. Stephen’s and the Vine at 10 a.m. on Sunday morning. I encourage you all to slowly take in the deep spirituality of Holy Week. Get lost in the liturgy and follow faithfully Jesus’ road to Calvary and to Resurrection.
In Christ who holds all things together,
Father Aaron
