Holy Week celebrates Christ's gift of life
By Neil Epler Special to the News

Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday when we remember and celebrate Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The symbols for this Sunday are Palm branches and the shouts of "Hosanna", a Hebrew word meaning "Save Us Now." This Sunday is also called Passion Sunday as it reminds us that this marks the beginning of Jesus final week before His crucifixion.

Thursday of Holy Week is called Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday. This was the day Jesus held His last supper with the disciples. The word "Maundy" is believed to have come from a Latin word meaning "commandment." On this day Jesus said to His disciples, "A new commandment I give to you ... that you love one another as I have loved you." During this Last Supper, Jesus also shared bread and wine with the disciples and explained that this was His body and blood given for them. He commanded them, "Do this in remembrance of me." On Maundy Thursday, many churches share this Holy Sacrament, remembering the precious gift and sacrifice that was made and given for all of us.

Friday of Holy Week is usually called Good Friday. It is called good because Christians believe it is through this sacrificial act of love and death that we are saved from our own sin and death. Many churches remember this day with the stations of the cross or a service of darkness called a Tenebrae service. "Tenebrae" is a Latin word meaning "shadows" or "darkness." The distinctive feature of the Tenebrae service is a gradual extinction of all the lights in the church except one candle, which is removed toward the end of the service but brought back to its place at the close. The ceremony is not only symbolic of the apparent victory of the powers of darkness over the Lord in His suffering, but actually of their failure to overwhelm Him who is, in truth, the light of the world.

The darkness of Good Friday is followed by the brightness of Easter Sunday with festive music and blooming flowers. These are all symbols of life and reminders of the victory of the resurrection. Many churches greet one

another with the words: "Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!" Throughout much of Christian history, converts to the Christian faith were baptized on Easter and received into the fellowship of the church. Many churches hold sunrise services early on Easter morning to celebrate the resurrection with the rising of the sun.

May you enjoy and celebrate the wonder of Holy Week and the joy of Easter!