St Margaret's Church Prestwich

This month’s letter comes from Rev Sue:

Harold Wilson famously said, “A week is a long time in politics,” meaning that someone might be popular in the polls today, but things could be very different a week later. That was certainly true for Jesus. Only four days after he rode into Jerusalem to shouts of “Hosanna” from an enthusiastic crowd, the people turned on him and were calling for his crucifixion. Jesus lived for about 33 years – that’s over 1,700 weeks. Yet the Gospel writers devote over 30% of their texts to that final week – less than 0.1% of his life. The story of his last days is not just about the end of a life; it is the story of our salvation. This is why, in our churches, we walk alongside Jesus in those final days, with a service every day.

From the moment Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, his fate is sealed. The Jewish authorities will not tolerate anyone with that level of popular support. Jesus challenges their interpretation of the law and poses a potential threat to their carefully balanced collaboration with the Romans. He enters on a donkey – a sign of humility and peace – in complete contrast to Pontius Pilate, who, on that same day, would have ridden into the city on a war horse in a display of military power ahead of the Jewish festival. Over the next few days, Jesus teaches his disciples about what is to come, although they do not understand it at the time. He disrupts the buying and selling in the temple, and the authorities conspire to bribe Judas Iscariot to betray him.

Finally, on Thursday evening, he eats the Passover meal with his disciples. They celebrate the liberation of the Hebrew slaves from their Egyptian overlords in the traditional way, through the sacrifice of the Passover lamb and the sharing of bread and wine. But Jesus puts his own stamp on the proceedings, referring to the bread as his body and the wine as his blood. He commands his disciples to love one another and takes the role of a servant, washing their feet. This meal is the climax of his ministry, which we recall every time we celebrate the Eucharist.

After that, Jesus ceases to control events. He goes to pray alone, seeking to come to terms with the awfulness of what will follow. From the moment Judas betrays him with a kiss, he submits to the machinations of those around him. Like an innocent lamb, he does not resist when witnesses lie at his trial. He is shuttled between Jewish and Roman authorities, mocked, beaten, and finally crucified.

We cease to be merely listeners to Jesus’ teaching and become participants in these events. We recognize our own potential to betray him, we suffer with him in his shame and degradation, and we weep for his pain on the cross. He becomes for us the Passover Lamb, the sacrifice that allows us to draw close to God. He demonstrates the depth of his love for us by willingly allowing his enemies to do their worst and invites us to love him in return. Holy Week is not primarily a time for theological reflection on the cross, but a time for experiencing its power.

Finally, we are wrung out as we accompany Joseph of Arimathea, who lays Jesus in his own tomb. From 3 p.m. on Friday until Saturday evening, we wait quietly for the next chapter.

On Easter Eve, we hold a powerful service that tells the full story of our redemption, from the Garden of Eden through to Jesus’ death. Then, with the Easter fire, music, and light, there is an eruption of joy as we celebrate the moment Jesus bursts from the tomb: “Grave, where is thy victory? Death, where is thy sting?” The celebrations continue on Easter Sunday and for the next seven weeks.

If Jesus had not risen from the dead and the cross had been the last word, we would not be Christians today. The powerful, moving story of Jesus’ love needs the joy and hope of the resurrection to give us the courage to take up our own crosses and serve our Lord. Conversely, if you only come to church on Palm Sunday and Easter Day, you miss the heart of the story – the saving power of the cross. Of course, not everyone can join us in person, but I urge you to experience the loneliness of Gethsemane and the suffering of Good Friday by joining us online or in your own prayers and reading. We call that Friday “Good” because, through Jesus’ redemptive suffering on our behalf, we have been freed from sin and guilt to become an Alleluia people. Join us in the sadness so that you may fully understand the world-shattering news: Jesus is risen from the dead!