Holy Week at St. Luke

From the boisterous welcome of Jesus on Palm Sunday through the depths of His betrayal, trials, suffering and death, to the grave and through it into Resurrection and eternal life in glory, we walk each day with our Savior. The services of Holy Week are shaped in such a way as to help us meditate on the deep mysteries of these world-changing events.

We begin with cries of "Hosanna" as Palm Sunday is celebrated at Divine Service on both March 28 and 29. The people greeted Christ with ancient words, words from the psalms, words that designated Him the Messiah, the promised Savior from God. Our voices join theirs as we greet the procession, as Jesus comes among us to deliver the forgiveness of sins He entered Jerusalem to earn.

On Thursday Evening we begin the traditional Triduum, or Three day service. We hear the gospel account of the Last Supper. On this night Jesus gives the command, "Love one another as I have loved you," the "mandatum" from which we get the name "Maundy Thursday." This is also the Passover meal at which our Lord instituted the Holy Sacrament of His precious Body and Blood. This evening we receive this gift for the last time until we celebrate His Resurrection on Easter Day. The service concludes with the reading of the account of Jesus' betrayal and arrest in Gethsemane. The altar and surrounding chancel are stripped of all adornment to mirror the stripping of Jesus, and the stripping of our own hearts as we ponder the suffering of Christ for our sins.

Good Friday is devoted to solemn and meditative contemplation of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God as payment for our sins. Two services mark this most profound event. At each, musical expression is kept to a minimum, reflecting the solemn nature of the day. God's people hear the account of Christ's Passion and Death from St. John's Gospel.

At 1:00, an hour when Jesus was on the cross, in Word and prayer we stand at the foot of the cross, hearing those powerful words, "Father, forgive them." The traditional Bidding Prayer is prayed and the Reproaches spoken before we depart.

The St. Luke family gathers again at 7:00 PM for a Tenebrae Vespers, with the gradual extinguishing of the candles interspersed throughout the reading of the Passion account. The final candle is snuffed and we depart.

The Triduum continues as the people of God gather in our courtyard on Saturday evening at 8:00 PM for the Easter Vigil. Lighting the Paschal Candle from a new flame, and our own candles from the Paschal flame, we process into the darkened nave. As the light of the candles returns to the darkened church we are reminded that Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, returns to life on the holy Easter Day. We remember our Baptisms where we were joined to the death and resurrection of Christ, and we re-vest the altar, returning the candles, and beautiful paraments, preparing the altar for the grand celebration of the Holy Sacrament on Easter Day.

The Easter feast of the Resurrection of Jesus bursts into full glory as the Living, Risen Jesus comes to His people in His Word and in His Blessed Sacrament of Holy Communion at services at 6:00, 8:00 and 10:30. With choirs, orchestra, hymns and the restoration of the Gloria in Excelsis the people of God at St. Luke rejoice greatly on this most Holy Day. We greet one another with the ancient words of blessing, "Christ is risen!" and responding, "He is risen indeed."

To walk with Jesus from beginning to end, hearing His Word and receiving His gifts at each of these gatherings is a unique and blessed experience. Consider joining us as we follow the Lamb of God to the cross, the grave and the Resurrection!