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Thoughts for Holy Week

Subhead
Built on a Rock
By
Pastor Nancy Manning, Magnolia United Methodist Church

Holy Week — a week that begins with joy as Jesus comes into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, a symbol of royalty at that time. It is the one time Jesus receives the honor and praise that are his due. The shouts of “Hosanna,” the waving of the palm branches, and the laying of people’s clothing before him – all of these were signs of honor for a King who had come to save his people.
But the praise and honor didn’t last long. Even during the shouting and singing, many of the religious leaders were scoffing and planning how to get rid of Jesus. He was getting in the way of their power over the people and affecting their profit margins. Jesus wasn’t following them; instead, Jesus questioned their motives and practices.
On Monday of Holy Week, Jesus was in the temple teaching and saw how it was being used as a market place — a place used to take advantage of the people who had animals they brought to sacrifice and were deemed unacceptable. They had to buy one from the temple market, and most of the people didn’t have the means to do so.
That angered Jesus, and rightly so. The temple was a place of prayer and worship, not a place to take advantage of the lowly and to make a profit off others. Jesus cleared the part of the temple being used as a market place and returned it to a place where those who were not Jewish could come and pray and worship.
Then just a few days later it’s Holy Thursday, and we receive the gift of love from Jesus in the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament in which we are reminded of the sacrifice Christ made for all of us. Not just for the disciples and believers at that point in time, but for all of us. We are to remember what Jesus has done, the sacrifice on the cross for the sins of everyone.
It’s interesting to me that an important part of the liturgy of preparation for receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion are the words, “In remembrance of me.” While Jesus was hanging on the cross, one of the thieves asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus returned to His kingdom. Jesus’ response is, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” That promise still holds true.
In the Sacrament of Holy Communion we are asked to remember what Christ has done for us on the cross and continues to do. The elements of bread and fruit of the vine are to remind us of his body and blood. Each time you receive this gift, remember the sacrifice of Christ. Christ remembers each and every one of us and loves us enough to pay our debts of sin.
May your Easter celebrations be filled with joy and the amazing and powerful love of Christ!
CHRIST IS RISEN! 

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