O all ye that pass by the way, attend and see:
If there be any sorrow like to my sorrow. Attend, all ye people, and see my sorrow:
If there be any sorrow like to my sorrow. Lam. 1:12
O vos omnes qui transitis per viam, attendite et videte:
Si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus. Attendite, universi populi, et videte dolorem meum.
Si est dolor similis sicut dolor meus.
Chorus and Chorale Translated:
Come, ye daughters, help me lament,
Behold! Whom? The Bridegroom.
Behold him! How? Like a lamb.
Behold! What? Behold his patience.
Behold! Where? Behold our guilt.
Behold Him, out of love and graciousness,
Himself carrying the wood of the cross.
I mentioned in an earlier post this week that I feel like the Lord is bringing many things together during this season of my life. I feel like I am on high alert and the that the world is just rushing by. Maybe that’s not quite right. Maybe it is me that is rushing by the world trumpeting as I go, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord!”
Holy Week always approaches with the force of a level five rapids but this year it feels more like I am heading towards Niagara in a barrel. Maybe I should be terrified; But I am exhilarated and filled with a powerful hope that the dead world around me is about to meet up with the resurrection power of Jesus:
I feel that as I prepare to head off to the sound stage to consult with one of our artists who is cutting his first album. I feel that as I load the sound system for Special Touch into my van for our monthly outreach. I feel it as I prepare for Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter services next week. I feel it as I prepare for two town meetings concerning the makerspace/art center project. I even feel it as I prepare for two potential hospice visits and for two committal services scheduled for the week after Easter. I feel it… even better I feel Him in all these situations because I have called Him into them. He always answers when I call. I have hope and victory in all these situations because He walks with me in them.
As I think about it Holy week would not be holy if Jesus had not chosen to involve himself in it. I suppose that means any moment or day or week into which I call His Spirit becomes a High Holy moment or day or week
What situations do you have to call Him into in order for your times to become holy?
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” John 13:1-9
Today is the day within Holy Week on which we remember the last supper of Jesus. I can easily find three sermons just in this passage alone and Maundy Thursday takes us all the way through the Olivet Discourse in John 16. This is one of the richest passages in all of Scripture; So I won’t even try in 300 words to take you into the deeps of Maundy Thursday teaching. Allow me to just leave you with a question.
Jesus’ washing of the disciples feet was His act of service to His disciples. Peter wanted to refuse because he thought himself unworthy to receive Jesus’ service. Is there any area in your life where you are not allowing Jesus to come with His power to serve you because you feel you don’t deserve it?
