This year the entirety of Holy Week will look and feel a little different as we gather online for our worship services. However, if we navigate our journey through Holy Week with a compass of honest inquiry and prayerful reflection, this year’s trek may strengthen and equip us to live with faith and hope in all seasons.

This Sunday is Palm Sunday which marks the beginning of Holy Week, a week that is to be different from a normal week.  For Christians, Holy Week is a season for soul-searching and contemplating the depth of God’s love.  During this week, Christians, all around the globe will be reflecting on the events that led to the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

Let’s review the important mileposts of Holy Week:

The traditional observance of Holy Week seems to have originated in the Christian East, emerging out of the practice of pilgrimages to Jerusalem.  Each day of Holy Week is important but at least four days call for specific reflection.

Palm Sunday is a day to revisit the royal welcome extended to Jesus by the curious crowd as he entered Jerusalem.

On Maundy Thursday believers recall the occasion when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples as he gave them a new mandate to love and serve.  Then, many Christians receive communion in commemoration of the Last Supper Jesus shared with his disciples.

Good Friday is a day to deeply reflect on the suffering of Christ on the cross and to contemplate the final words from the cross.

Finally, Resurrection Sunday, or Easter, is a festive day to affirm the ultimate victory of life over death as we proclaim that “Christ is risen; He is risen indeed.”

As we navigate our way through each episode of Holy Week, John 12-20 may serve as a helpful travel guide.

Along the way, take time to listen to the voices of the crowd.  Hear again the teachings of Jesus and think about his days in Jerusalem.  Contemplate the cruel injustice of the cross. Experience the passion of Christ’s suffering. Then listen to the sounds of silence as we await Easter morning.

At the end of this slow and deliberate journey through Holy Week, we will be better prepared to celebrate the resurrection and to renew our commitment to follow in the footsteps of Jesus as we navigate life.

Considering the challenges of our current state of emergency, I am praying that the message of Easter will infuse us with faith, hope, and courage.  N.T. Wright offers us a timely reminder that, “The resurrection gives you a sense of what God wants to do for the whole world.”

Let’s rise above the obstacles and inconveniences posed by the current health pandemic, and let’s navigate a meaningful and memorable journey through Holy Week.

(Barry Howard currently serves as pastor of the Wieuca Road Baptist Church in Atlanta and as a leadership coach with the Center for Healthy Churches.)