6 March 2024
Two Sundays ago at the Rector’s Study, we began our study of Holy Week, looking particularly at Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. This Sunday’s class will focus on Good Friday, and we may even touch upon the Easter Vigil. It all depends upon how much trivia the participants make me unpack as we study these liturgies.
I have enjoyed these Sunday night classes. We cover a lot of material, many questions are asked, and best of all, we laugh a lot. In last week’s Evangel column I touched upon the various Holy Week liturgies, but these Sunday evening classes provide the time and space to dig deeper into the mysteries of the central acts of our faith.
It is always wise to prepare for worship, whether we are serving at the altar, loft, or sacristies, or whether we are praying in the pews. In fact, there really is no such thing as only “attending” worship, or simply being a bystander, for we are called to be active participants in the worship of God. Even newcomers who attend worship for the first time conduct research before visiting the church. They study the website, research the denomination, and view online worship services from the church. Ironically, it is often the members, who feel the most comfortable at a church, who forget to prepare for the liturgy and the encounter with the living God that the liturgy brings.
If we are to honor God appropriately, we must ready ourselves to be with God in worship. It is wise to read the Bible readings prior to attending mass, and it will be beneficial to have some working knowledge of the season or particular event a liturgy is commemorating. It is also good to come to worship with an intention. What prayer are you bringing to the mass? Who do you want to pray for? What concerns do you have in the world? Liturgy is a dramatic encounter with the living God. Do not forget to bring your intercession, otherwise you are wasting your personal audience before God and the heavenly choirs. As for Holy Week, it helps to study the services together so that we can make the most of the week when it arrives. The more we prepare, the more the drama of the Week of Weeks will transform us.
The improvements to the Parish Hall have made teaching a delight. The carpet makes discussion easier, and the television opens up a world of study tools. As we continue our study of Holy Week, we have travelled to Jerusalem, London, Sydney, Philadelphia, and other neighborhoods in Honolulu through the glories of YouTube. As we explore more of Holy Week this Sunday night, our pilgrimage continues to additional churches near and far.
We shall also enjoy the Holy Spirit actively present in the people gathered at the tables around us. Ultimately Holy Week is holy, because God is holy, but also, Holy Week is holy, because when the people of God pray through the mysteries of the faith, they too become holy by God’s grace and power. That work of the Holy Spirit is already alive and well among us.
Blessings,
Father Paul Lillie +
