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From the triumphal high of Palm Sunday, we descend quickly into the dark "valley of the shadow of death" (Psalm 23:4). Although Jesus had told his disciples three times that "The Son of Man must undergo great suffering... and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22), none of them were really prepared for the events of this holy but difficult week.
On Easter Sunday, we will lift up the seventh and final "I Am" saying of Jesus: "I Am the Resurrection and the Life." While it is tempting to jump to the happy ending of the empty tomb, it is impossible to avoid the truth that a resurrection must, by definition, follow a death. Not just a period of deep sleep or dormancy like a tree in winter waiting to bud, but an actual cessation of life. As Charles Dickens once famously observed, every story of new life begins with a death. "This must be distinctly understood," he wrote, "or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate."
During the week, we will have two opportunities to face the death of Jesus. On Thursday evening (4/17) at 7 pm, we will recognize Maundy Thursday, which remembers the "Last Supper" in the upper room, the lamentation of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, and his betrayal and arrest in the dark of night. This service offers a uniquely powerful opportunity for us to experience the sacrament of communion in a new way.
On Good Friday (4/18) at noon, Douglas Kostner and our Chancel Choir will lead us through a moving recital of the trial, tribulation, and death of Christ. On this day, we acknowledge that all of us share in the weight of -- and responsibility for -- the death of our Savior.
Hopefully, having walked faithfully through this dark valley, we will experience the awe, wonder, and joy of the resurrection in a new way on Easter Sunday (4/20). As usual, we will gather with beloved friends from other congregations at 6:30 am in Manor Park for our annual Easter Sunrise Service, followed by a time for coffee, waffles, and fellowship at Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club. Later, at 9 am and 11 am, our spirits will be lifted by the triumphal sound of brass instruments, the uplifting voices of our choir, and the familiar refrain that "Christ is Risen!" And don't forget to bring your cut flowers for the new Easter Cross, which will be positioned near the main entrance on Larchmont Avenue!
As I said above, every resurrection is preceded by a death. So, let us walk the last few days of this season together, in the hope that -- three days hence -- we will all feel the full joy of the glorious story to be told once more.
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