Oh happy day to outshine all other happy days! The Lord is risen! The Lord is risen, indeed! It’s easy to think that Christianity revolves around the crucifixion, however it is really anchored in the resurrection. Jesus’ celebrated triumph over the dead is the greatest mystery of them all and the greatest hope for humanity […]
Tag: Holy Week
On the Cross
In many newly built or recently renovated Christian worship spaces these days you will often discover something missing from the contemporary design: a cross or crucifix. In its place usually is a giant screen and stagecraft used for pop concerts. Ironically, many of these churches have strong stances against “the progressive agenda” and yet when […]
On the Table
The Lord’s Supper (also referred to as Holy Communion or the Eucharist) is venerated on Maundy Thursday, as we remember when Jesus first instituted this sacrament during his final Passover Seder. (Side note: The responses I received from my reflection on Maundy Thursday last year inspired this current year-long series on the Church Year.) For […]
On Happy Days
If the Liturgical Calendar is a rollercoaster of sorts, Holy Week is when the most number of corkscrews, loops, drops, and twists occur. The week starts, though, with a smile as we ride up the lift-hill. Jesus enters Jerusalem for Passover, welcomed as a conquering hero. He rides a colt symbolizing peace while crowds gather […]
On the Paschal Moon
Have you ever noticed that there is always a full moon around the lead up to Easter? That is by design and this specific full moon is called the Paschal Moon. The date of Easter is determined by a somewhat cumbersome calculation: the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal (spring) equinox, […]
On Maundy Thursday
I’ve come to view Maundy Thursday as one of the most meaningful dates on the Christian calendar for me. It is a day steeped in lessons that seem to become more and more needed in our modern times, where we have become so desensitized to the dehumanization around us and partake in such acts so […]
On Holy Week
For churches that follow a lectionary of Scripture readings, each year there is typically a different Gospel narrative that is the focus for the year. For many churches, this year’s featured Gospel account is the one attributed to Mark. If you want a fast-action narrative, it is the perfect year to open the Good Book, […]
Relevant Reformation 