A Holy Week Remembrance

By Melissa McLaughlin

As children, we anticipated each holiday with barely contained joy. We asked “how much longer” and counted the days. We reminisced about previous years’ events and dreamed of once-a-year foods, family gatherings, gifts, and celebrations and music at church.

Now that I am an adult (with the passing of many years), holidays—or “holy days”—carry even greater weight in my life. As a Christian, the greatest of all is Holy Week.

Whether we are looking ahead or reflecting back, Holy Week is a time like no other.  

When gearing up for a graduation, a new job or ministry, a wedding, a new child, moving to a new apartment or house, or any other momentous event in our lives, these occasions stand apart from day-to-day life. We put a lot of thought and heart into the process.

Even more significant than life’s milestones, Holy Week lingers long.

Holy Week captures our souls as we recognize and savor the most important event in human history. The days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection reverberate with divine overtones and call our hearts away for deeper contemplation.

What can we learn and remember from Holy Week?

Holy Week is the week prior to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday. Although many churches do not officially celebrate the weekdays following Palm Sunday, these include Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy or Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter or Resurrection Sunday.

Join me here, for a brief reflection of these powerful days, as we meditate on Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. (It is important to note that while Scripture clearly records the events of Holy Week, the precise chronology is not indicated for all events.)

A Holy Week Remembrance

Palm Sunday – This day marked Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where the crowds waved palm branches and cheered, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). Jesus received their worship, despite the rebuke of religious leaders. He allowed the people to praise Him as the Messiah (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:12-19).

Holy Monday – As recorded in Scripture, on this day, Jesus healed people, cleansed the temple a second time, and again received praises from children. Like the day before, religious leaders condemned the worship of Christ, but Jesus countered their indignation with Scripture truth (Matthew 21:12-16).

Holy Tuesday – The next day, chief priests and elders challenged Jesus’ authority and asked who gave Him authority to do these things. Jesus questioned and exposed their motivations. He also cursed a fig tree which bore leaves but no fruit, as an allegory for those who make a showy outward appearance of being religious, but inwardly bear no fruit of real faith (Matthew 17:21-44). (On a side note, the gospel of Mark 11, records the fig tree story over two days.) Jesus also taught extensively while at the Mount of Olives, which is known as the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, Luke 21:5-36).

Holy Wednesday – Later (either Tuesday or Wednesday), while reclining in a home in Bethany, a woman used an alabaster flask to pour expensive ointment on Jesus. The disciples chastised her, but Jesus corrected them, saying she had done a beautiful thing, anointing Him for burial (Matthew 26:6-13). According to Matthew 26:14-16, Judas Iscariot met with the religious authorities, offering 30 pieces of silver to deliver Jesus to them. Some Bible scholars believe this occurred on Holy Tuesday, while others believe it was more likely on Holy Wednesday. Therefore, some Christians also refer to this day as “Spy Wednesday” (Luke 22:1-5).

Holy or Maundy Thursday – This is the day Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples, called the Last Supper. He established the Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion for followers to continue this practice (Matthew 26:17-46). Prior to this meal, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:3-7). The Latin origin of the word “maundy” is “command or mandate.” Therefore, we could think of this as “Command Thursday” as we read Jesus’ command in John 13:34-35 (ESV), “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” In addition, Jesus taught the disciples many final lessons (John 13-17). Late that night, He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Judas led His adversaries to find Him. Judas betrayed Christ with a kiss, leading to His arrest (Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, John 13:1-38).

Good Friday – This is the most difficult and terrible day of Holy Week. Following His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, despite having lived a sinless life, Jesus endured abandonment, betrayal, false accusations, unlawful trials, beatings, a crown of thorns, spitting, and mocking, culminating in His gruesome crucifixion on a cross. Finally, Jesus breathed His last, having paid the penalty for our sins. Scriptures record Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea taking Jesus’ body down from the cross and laying it in a tomb. Jesus’ tomb was sealed with a stone (Matthew 27:1-66, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, John 18:28-19:37).

Holy Saturday – The Jewish Sabbath began at sundown on Friday evening and continued through Saturday evening. Scripture records in Matthew 27:62-66 that the chief priests and Pharisees appeared before Pilate requesting guards at Jesus’ tomb. Pilate ordered them to secure the stone and set guards. However, the people rested, because it was a Sabbath day as recorded in Luke 23:56, “On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.” We can only imagine the darkness of this day, as Jesus’ followers mourned His death and wondered what might happen next. Being a Sabbath day, they could only rest and wait on the Lord. Many Christians refer to this day as Silent Saturday.

Easter or Resurrection Sunday – After waiting in deep darkness, this is the glorious day Jesus arose from the grave. Early Sunday morning, several women went to the tomb. An angel rolled back the stone and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:5-6). The gospels record other eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ bodily resurrection, providing the anchor for our faith. Easter or Resurrection Sunday marks the end of this passionate Holy Week, sometimes rightfully called Passion Week (Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-23).

Jesus’ resurrection marks a pivotal and foundational moment in our Christian faith. As such, Christ’s resurrection is worthy of our contemplation, celebration, and rejoicing every day. In this incredible demonstration of God’s unrivaled power over death, Jesus displayed His deity, confirmed the biblical prophecies and authority of Scripture, triumphed over Satan and hell, provided atonement for our sins, poured out His love and mercy, and guaranteed the resurrection of all who trust in Christ. Hallelujah! Because He lives, we will live, too!

May our joy be uncontainable!

What do you find most memorable about Holy Week?

Exciting News for My Readers!

Portions of The Whole Bible Devotional are now available on the YouVersion Bible app! Invite your friends and family to read with you!

If you’d like to join me, I’d love to read with you! Thank you to everyone who joined me for the last Bible reading plan!

• Would you read the Bible Plan, “Praying From Paul’s Letters,” with me?
• We’ll start TODAY Tuesday, April 22^nd. This is a 13-day Bible plan.
• Click here to sign up here on the YouVersion Bible app.