A Holy Time

The events beginning on Palm Sunday of Jesus’ suffering and death and culminating in His resurrection are known as Holy Week. We observe these events like no other. We ponder the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, mindful that it was for the sins of the world one man suffered as no other. There is nothing holier than that. Jesus paying the penalty on behalf of everyone.

We meditate on these events. We repent of our sins. We give thanks to our Lord for His eternal love for us. And we bring it all to a culmination with our celebration of His resurrection on Easter Sunday.

But Holy Week isn’t the only time that we consider to be a holy time. Because of His sacrifice for us He has made us holy. He has given us a new life in Him. Our life is now holy. Every moment of our life is a holy time. Holy Week is a powerful reminder like few other things are.

The events of Christ’s life we observe during Holy Week are actually the events we are bound up in in our life in Him. It all happens to us in Baptism. Our Baptism was a holy time. Water was poured over us. We were received by God into His holy Kingdom through the Word that was spoken as the water was applied. “I Baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy God made you His holy child in Baptism.

You are now holy. Each moment of your life is holy because you are now His. Your holy life you live continues to be filled with moments that are holy. In the Old Testament only the priests were to enter the holy part of the temple. When Christ died on the cross the curtain in the temple tore in two. We have access to the holy God through the Son Jesus Christ.

We come to the very altar of God directly. We open our mouth and receive into it the holy body and blood of Christ Himself. It is a holy moment; one which sustains us for the living of a holy life.

In Baptism we are buried with Christ in His death and raised to life in His resurrection. In His Holy Supper we are united with Him in His body given on the cross and His blood which flowed from His side.

Holy Week is a special time. And we rightfully treat it as a special time. But we tend to think of the rest of the time—our lives, in fact—as not that special. But it is a holy time. It is the time God has given us to live in Christ. To be holy people in the world. To bring to the world the message of the holy God giving His love to the world in His Son Jesus Christ.

Blessings on you during this holy time of Holy Week. And blessings on you in your holy life, a holy time even to eternity.