While Muslims continue their Ramadan fast until April 10, Christians throughout the world continue to commemorate Holy Week.
People of faith find ways to honor these days in personal ways and incorporate them in varied houses of worship.
“I think of Holy Week as a time to gather daily and hear a sermon centered around the event that took place on that day,” says Minister Julius Dawson, chief financial steward, of The Hill Inc.
The “via dolorosa” or “way of the cross,” strikes at the heart of reality and demands we pay attention to the pain, ugliness, and injustice we readily ignore just to get through the day.
Historically, this time had to have been incredibly sad for the disciples who’d been with Jesus for three years and had witnessed the incredible miracles he’d performed, most of which were showing loving kindness to people society had pushed aside.
The days of Holy Week
The scriptures outline the activities of Jesus on each day.
The week begins with his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, a total blowout on Monday chasing the money changers out of the temple, a Tuesday trek that provoked a curse of Judas on a fig tree and then a rest on Wednesday – there’s no record of activities on Wednesday.
Maundy Thursday is one of the most well-known days because at the Passover meal, Jesus issued instructions about remembering him, as often as possible, through the breaking of bread and drinking of wine. He also issued a mandate to the disciples that they should be known to the world by the love they demonstrate for each other; while he wrapped himself in a towel and kneeled to wash their feet.
Their first instinct was to refuse such lowly service from one they considered to be their master. He rebuffed their objections with the directive that they should also wash each other’s feet.
Of course, Friday was the day of crucifixion, and many Christians around the world fast until the hours pass that represent his time on the cross.
For some, it is the beginning of a vigil that lasts from 3 p.m. Friday until Resurrection morning (Easter) when the women, the first reporters of his good news, discovered the empty tomb.
Imagine that these women who had been in Jesus’ company were designated to be first to sound the alarm that something mystic and majestic had taken place at the same time they were mourning. Imagine how that message was received, especially those who’d had inner circle proximity.
The Way of the Cross
The “via dolorosa” or “way of the cross,” strikes at the heart of reality and demands we pay attention to the pain, ugliness, and injustice we readily ignore just to get through the day. The cross calls us to see and be the truth that lies within us through the grace of God.
The cross makes us stand straight and be accountable for the reigning evil that pervades every system of our existence. The cross elicits truth from our inner selves, but not the recognition without responsibility to speak truth to power.
“Our call before the altar as we stand to receive the body and blood of Christ is to become what we receive. At any given moment, we must be ready to defend the hope that lies within us,” Toni-Moore Duggan, president of Call to Action Maryland, told the Black Catholic Messenger in an article about “Walking the ‘Via Dolorosa’ of Antiracism.’”
“God injected grace into our being gratuitously, unconditionally, and irrevocably. This truth should give us courage and embolden us to live in justice, mercy, and light,” Duggan said.
She also said we should be able to take greater risks, “knowing that his love and presence are unconditional and cannot be earned.”
Even on such a rocky path, we still have choices, according to Duggan. “We can follow the crows, we can run and pretend this is not happening…or we can stand up and say, “Not on my watch. Not with my eyes wide open. Enough.”
Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware is Word In Black religion writer and columnist.