Holy Week

The link to this week's live-streamed service is here

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy week, a time when Christians around the world observe the last days of Christ's life on earth. In sorrow and awe we follow His progression from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the horror of Golgotha. The gospels give us an account of that time.

 

Palm Sunday – entrance into Jerusalem

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey the crowds who thronged to greet him waved palm branches and shouted Hosanna. Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.  This is recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:12-19.

Holy Monday*

After spending the previous night in Bethany, Jesus returned to Jerusalem. Mark's gospel records a short incident where He cursed a fig tree because it had no fruit.

Once in Jerusalem, Jesus went to the temple. As it was near Passover, the money changers were doing a brisk business in the temple courts. Jesus became angry. He overturned the tables, set loose the doves and pigeons. When they objected He said, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves." 

Matthew 21:12–22, Mark 11:15–19, Luke 19:45-48, 

Holy Tuesday

On this day, Jesus returned to the Temple in Jerusalem where he taught and debated with the chief priests. later in the day he went to the Mount of Olives where He taught the disciples. He predicted His death, and warned the disciples of the coming destruction of the Temple and the persecutions that they would face, in His name. The disciples were puzzled and grieved.  The gospel of Matthew records those teachings at length. 

Matthew 21:23–24:51, Mark 11:20–13:37, Luke 20:1–21:36, and John 12:20–38.

Holy Wednesday – into the darkness

The Bible does not record Jesus' activities on this day although scholars suspect He rested with his disciples.  At one time the church referred to this day as "Spy Wednesday" as it is believed that Judas Iscariot conspired with the chief priests to betray Jesus. Matt 26: 14.

Some churches may hold a Tenebrae service on Wednesday.  The form of the service varies depending upon the denomination but usually begins in a room lit with many candles.  As the events of Holy week are read from the gospels, the candles are extinguished one by one, until the sanctuary is left in darkness.

Worshippers exit in silence to ponder Christ's death and await the  Resurrection.

Maundy Thursday – Passover and the Last Supper 

On this day, Jesus gathered with the disciples in the upper room to celebrate the Jewish feast of Passover. He washed the disciples feet, and exhorting them to love one another as I have loved you.

The last supper that Jesus shared with his disciples is the model for our Sacrament of Holy Communion. It was here that Jesus took the bread and wine and commended them to the disciples as His body "broken for you," and His "blood shed for you." 

From there Jesus took the disciples with Him to the Garden of Gethsemane, where He prayed all night. The disciples kept falling asleep. Then Judas arrived with the soldiers to arrest Jesus. Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of one, but Jesus healed the man and told Peter to put up his sword.

Jesus was then led away to the house of the high priest. His trial begins.

Matthew 26:17–75, Mark 14:12-72, Luke 22:7-62, and John 13:1-38.

Good Friday -- Jesus' Agony on the Cross

Jesus is tried before Pontius Pilate. Even though the Roman ruler wishes to release Him, the crowd cries "crucify." In the end, Pilate "washes his hands" of Jesus and hands him over to the Jews. Jesus is  taken to Golgotha. Beaten and exhausted, Jesus collapses under the weight of the cross He is forced to carry. When they come to the Place of the Skull, He is crucified with two others, one on His right and the other on His left.

The term "Good" Friday comes from an obsolete meaning of the word meaning "holy" or "pious." For the Christian Good Friday is the most sombre day on the calendar.

Matthew 27:1-62, Mark 15:1-47, Luke 22:63-23:56, and John 18:28-19:37.

Holy Saturday

In the Jewish tradition, Saturday is the Sabbath, a quiet, holy day. Jesus' body lay in the tomb, guarded by Roman soldiers. When the
Sabbath ended at 6:00 pm, some women went and prepared spices to anoint the body.

Matthew 27:62-66, Mark 16:1, Luke 23:56, and John 19:40.

Resurrection Sunday, or Easter  

In Luke, we read that very early in the morning women went to the grave, but they found the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty. 

On this day Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene as she stood by the tomb. Later, He appeared to Peter and two other disciples on the road to Emmaus. Still later in the day He appeared to all of the disciples (except Thomas) where they were gathered at a house to pray. 

The empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of our Christian faith.

 Matthew 28:1-13, Mark 16:1-14, Luke 24:1-49, and John 20:1-23.

Holy Week Services at SPPC

• Good Friday Service: 10:00 a.m.
• Easter Sunday Sunrise: 8:00 a.m. at Cy Hampson Park (8891 Lochside Dr., North Saanich)
• Easter Sunday Breakfast: 9:00 a.m. in the SPPC Hall
• Easter Sunday Worship: 10:00 a.m

May you have a blessed, holy week.

Easter 2021

 There was no sunrise service this Easter, nor was there breakfast in the hall or an in-person service in the sanctuary.

We did manage an out-door Maundy Thursday communion. 

The Good Friday service was live-streamed here.

Easter Sunday service is here

Rev. Irwin has mentioned some upcoming birthdays, Janet, Hal, Leona, and Linda as well as an anniversary for the Lloyd and Lee. However, there was one person missing from his list. On April 11, Rev. Irwin will celebrate his birthday. 

Best wishes to all our celebrants.

Our Jewish friends traditionally end their Seder supper with the words, "next year in Jerusalem."  I will end this blog with the hope, "next year in the sanctuary."

Special Music for Good Friday

   

As a special service for Good Friday, Larry and the choir are rehearsing The Crucifixion by Sir John Stainer. The work is new to us but is a staple of the church choir repertoire. Of course, in Stainer's time church choirs were bigger so we're working to augment our forces for this presentation.

Extra singers are invited to the first hour of rehearsal on Thursday nights to practice, and will perform with us on Good Friday morning. There is still time for more singers to join. If you're looking for a short-term musical commitment, come talk to Larry on Sunday or call the church office, 250 656-2241.

The Crucifixion is scored for tenor and baritone soloists, mixed choir, and organ, although our performance may include a string quartet. Like Bach's great St. Matthew Passion, the Crucifixion, includes choruses, chorales, recitatives and arias.

Stainer never claimed the designation, "oratorio" for his work. Instead, he titled it "a meditation," and intended it to form an integral part of the Anglican service. He even wrote several simple hymns so that the congregation can join in the singing.

The Rev. William Sparrow-Simpson, compiled the libretto for the work, alternating between Biblical narrative and newly composed poetry expressing the Christian's response to the events of Good Friday.

Critical opinion of The Crucifixion is varied. At its first performance it was well-received, then fell out of favour as being "Victorian sentimentality." Nevertheless, the work continues to be performed in the present day, and, 118 years after the composer's death, musical scholars recognize the enduring value of some of the movements, especially the unaccompanied setting of ‘God so loved the world.’ Of the five hymns composed for congregational participation Cross of Jesus must be counted amongst the finest of all hymn-tunes.

While The Crucifixion, is not in the same league as Bach's monumental Passions, or Handel's Messiah, let us remember that Stainer never set out to rival those works. Rather, his intention was to provide a Passiontide cantata that was within the scope of most parish choirs. Perhaps that modest ambition has contributed to the works enduring place in sacred music. Church choirs can sing it, and they do, year after year.

This year you can hear it at 10:00am on Friday, March 30, at SPPC.

Good Friday -- Seven Last Words

 Once again, SPPC is blessed to have as guests, the DieMahler String Quartet performing Haydn's The Seven Last Words of Christ, at our Good Friday service.
A devout man, Haydn undertook this commission from a deeply religious conviction, anxious to illuminate the text "without fatiguing the listener." He succeeded admirably.  The work was immensely popular during his lifetime and has continued to find a place in the musical repertoire up to the present time.  Haydn, himself, considered the set of meditations to be among his greatest works, superior to either of his later oratorios, The Creation and The Seasons
   Each movement is a musical reflection on the seven last words Christ spoke from the cross.

 I. Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34)
II.  Today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43)
III. Mother, behold thy son (John 19:26)
IV. My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Mark 15:34)
V.  I thirst (John 19:28)
VI. It is finished (John 19:30)
VII. Father, into your hands I commend my spirit (Luke 23:46)

This service encourages the worshipper to a personal meditation  on the profound events of Good Friday.  

All are welcome.  Worship begins at 10:00 am.


Other Easter Events:
Maundy Thursday -- 6:00 pm Meal in the Upper Room
Good Friday           -- 10:00 am Seven Last Words of Christ
Easter Sunday        -- 8:00 am  Sunrise service, Cy Hampson Park
                                 -- 9:00 am Breakfast in Molloy Hall
                                 -- 10:00 am  Worship in the Sanctuary