The Holy Week has become something that means so many different things to so many different people. For some it's about getting some time off work or school, and for others it's all about the Christian celebration. Sorry if I'm not politically correct for citing or using something I heard at church, (but as they say you need to be careful with what you say because as soon as those words come out of your mouth you've lost the power over them, they become public domain) whereas it was being said that it's okay to go to the beach on Saturday, but we better be in church on Friday. That "better" was said in a solemn foreshadowing tone as to doom and destruction will overcome your life any minute after you dare to think of missing on those exciting "Seven Words" we all know by heart.
Our Holy Week church programs have become a routine, once a year, celebrations. We listen to the same old, same old each year. Why don't we try to get something new out of it this year? You would think to yourself is that possible? This lady has to be nuts! Jesus begins entering Jerusalem on a donkey on Sunday, dies during the week and we witness his resurrection on Sunday and then take our kids egg hunting with the cute little bunny and all that candy pumping through their veins, so it's more than certain will end up exhausted after trying to pull and push them until they finally fall asleep. Once it's over, we wont remember about it until after Valentine next year. So, what was exactly behind all that mumbo jumbo anyway?
This year so I can keep my 2013 resolution on track (as to "being truthful to myself at all times" with roughly translates into not taking crap from anyone) I'm approaching the Holy Week with a totally different approach. Some may say irreverent or non-appropriate after reading my post's title because the reader may think it's about sex, but for the writer it's just fine anyway. What is it with sex anyway? God created us sexual beings, He made us in a way that not only we can reproduce ourselves, but also we can have plenty of fun as we do it. Sexual fun and pleasure is definitely something very liberating, it frees our minds and spirits if and when we're with the right person. You just don't get more honest than that. When your engaging in sex there is no hiding, your partner, spouse, girlfriend or boyfriend or whatever you want to call that person will see you as you are. Naked! Maybe your thinking right now as to what in the world does this have to do with the Holy Week?
This is a no brainer answer, it's all about the Holy Week. Don't take me wrong your not going to find anything related to this in the Scripture or any theology that will try to prove something, but me or you can not deny that this is the same way God sees us. Naked! We can't hide anything from him, He sees us as we are. Naked on the outside and in the inside.
Let us believe that this Holy Week can bring us back to life and at the same time we may feel liberated enough to begin seeing ourselves like God does and make the changes we need to make. Not because Jesus is being crucified all over again or because He will rise from the Hades and return to his Father's presence and become one with Him, but because deep inside us the breaking news of his sacrifice is still fresh and alive. That we are not part of that anonymous crowd cheering as He passed and then witnessing his death without even raising a finger to stop it. That we don't act like that same crowd when they dispersed among the Hebrew community in the Roman Empire, but act as the loving community of faith we're intended to be. That we are able to witness that our Lord was sent to the death row by his own people's desire of blood shedding, and learn that sending our own criminals to the death row would prove nothing useful other than satisfying our own need of blood shedding. That we are no different from them, but anyway God has loved us enough to try to continue to rescue our souls into eternity.
Lets us come to life, not as the persons we were but a much better version of it. I'm more than sure that this is what this is all about. Coming to life, enjoying the process and becoming liberated of the nonsense we tend to surround ourselves around. I only wish for myself and for anyone else that is willing to shed our garments of purity (that's sarcastic by the way) to receive the news of salvation as a wide eyes open experience where hiding in those same garments isn't an option anymore.
(Photo credits: Stephanie Quintana, Sunflowers 2010 "The Miracle of God's Creation")
