Monday of Holy Week
You know, on this Monday of Holy week, I was thinking of how many contradictory things many of us face during Holy Week. On one hand, we want to fully experience the Paschal Mystery, attend to our prayer, and participate in the sacred rituals Liturgies. On the other, we are trying to prepare for the Easter dinners, celebrations, and other traditions so special to our personal circumstances. And those are only the most obvious! Maybe over the years we somehow learn to strike a balance, but it can still remain a challenge to keep in sharp focus the significance of these approaching days.
Considered together, today's readings give us a glimpse of the 'big picture'. The beginning of Isaiah chapter 42, foretells the mission of the Servant of the Lord and reminds us of God's ultimate plan for humankind and all of creation. Just as significant, it tells us about the character and manner of the Servant of Lord. Psalm 27 tells us "The Lord is my light and my salvation" and "Wait for the Lord". Let us always remember, no matter how it appears to us, God is in charge! John's Gospel relates the Anointing at Bethany, just days before Jesus is put to death. It is very rich with individual characters: Martha busy preparing the meal, Mary anointing Jesus' feet, the raised Lazarus sitting next to Jesus, and Judas, feigning concern for the poor, is rebuking Mary for her extravagance. The 'big picture' seems full of contradictions and opposing forces. We must allow ourselves to experience the tension. We must allow the mystery to touch us. By doing so, we open ourselves to deeper faith and to the grace of God's Spirit.
As we go forward in this week of such consequence, let us enter it completely. May we accept the mystery, letting it sink deeply into our hearts. May the Spirit of God break down our resistance and overwhelm us with the anticipation and the waiting, the loss and the grief, and the sorrow and the joy. May we recognize each moment as a process between God and ourselves…a process of mutual giving and receiving…a process of deepening love. And may the God of Peace be with us in an especially sacred way. Amen.
--Gail Lyman