Exploring Holy WeekSample

All week, Jesus has been demonstrating in our readings how love turns the usual way of things upside down. Easter Sunday is the exclamation point at the end of Jesus’ work on earth. It went like this: Mary Magdalene arrived at Jesus’ tomb expecting to mourn. Instead, Jesus meets her, alive (!), and sends her off to share the joyful news. He is alive!

The roman authorities and religious experts expected Jesus’ death would cheapen Jesus’ teachings and break down the relationships he built. Instead, news of Jesus’ resurrection spread and opened the way to even more people looking to know and follow him. So now, even when we don’t understand (like the people on Palm Sunday), or do the wrong thing (like the shopkeepers in the temple), or feel scared or angry or alone (like the disciples waiting together), God is with us. And he continues to love us and serve us!

Easter is the ultimate backward and upside-down day. A gardener was really a king. People who once felt far from God can now feel confident that they’re never alone. And a dead man came to life! One fun thing about hanging upside down (or standing on your head) is seeing the world in a new way. The love of God helps us do the same thing (without the funny rush of blood to our heads!). Where we might think the world works one way, love has a big imagination. There are always new ways to experience God’s love and explore God’s world. You just have to keep an eye out for it!

Explore: This illustration shows what Jesus’ tomb may have looked like. It was sealed shut, and then soldiers arrived to guard the tomb. Throughout this week we’ve talked about how Jesus turned expectations and traditions upside down. What are some ways you could see love turning your normal day's upside down? What thoughts or expectations do you have for yourself or others that might be changed by love?