Holy Week

Last week was Holy Week. I had planned not to plan anything. Besides the Holy Week services and writing sermons. I had planned to have large chunks of time in which to read and think about Holy Week, to meditate on Jesus' journey to the cross, to listen to music and sit and be. I had planned not to schedule very many things.

In truth, I didn't make many plans. Staff meeting. A couple of pastoral visits. A planning meeting for the women's group that just wouldn't fit at any other time. Chrism mass in Richmond. Somehow, though I did not intend it, and though there were not lots of scheduled events, somehow the time disappeared. It was Thursday before I had time to sit and think and be, and then I needed to write two sermons. I couldn't help but lament the lost time. I couldn't help beating myself up for overscheduling AGAIN.

And then, while I was reading in preparation to write my Good Friday sermon, I read a line from Kenneth Leech's "We Preach Christ Crucified." It talked about how preaching about suffering should not be detached from prayer and pastoral care. And then I realized that I was spending Holy Week exactly as I should - with the people of my community. Would it have been nice to spend the whole week in prayer and mediation? Sure. But we are Christians in community. We do not walk the journey with Christ by ourselves. I was right where I needed to be, in the midst of the people whom I serve. Isn't that what Jesus did? Isn't that what he calls us to do? I kept Holy Week holy, in worship, in prayer, and in community. We walked the journey together.

Happy Easter. Alleluia!