Holy Week, Rest Week

I unintentionally turned last week into a sort of rest week.  

The original plan was to make it a cut back week and run about 7 miles or so.  With all the activity and sleeping in (shh) I only managed to complete 2 runs of 2 miles each.  No matter... I will make it up this week.

Holy Week is the time of the year we Christians remember Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection to glory.  It is marked by services of remembrance and joyful gatherings of family and food!


The week started out with an unusually celebration for me.  A Jewish Seder on Wednesday.  

I was invited by some friends of mine to eat the Seder meal with them.  The Seder is a Jewish celebration of the Passover.  It is a reminder of God's faithfulness to His people as He brought them out of captivity in Egypt.  The matzo symbolizes the unleavend bread the people were to eat.  The bitter herbs are a reminder of the bitter captivity that the people endured and the lamb is a reminder of the blood of the lamb that covered them from destruction.  It was a beautiful ceremony and gave a good perspective as we entered the main days of the Easter celebration.

3 main days:

John 13:34 ESV

Maundy Thursday
This day remembers the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples.  Maundy is derived from the Latin "mandatum", or commandment.  It reminds us of Jesus' words to the Apostles during that last meal, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you".  It is a reminder to love.
 
Good Friday
This day remembers Christ's death on the cross for the sins of the world.  Crucifixion was the most horrific form of torture at the time.  It was a tragic event that day and this day is only good in retrospect.  Christ did not stay dead!  He rose to life again from the grave.

Easter Sunday
This day celebrates Christ's victory over death!  We remember and celebrate God's great love for the world.  Because Christ overcame death we have the promise of eternal life.  This is hope for all of us!

My mom's resurrection garden showing the empty tomb :)

"Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."  John 17:3

Some helpful reading on the scenes above: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+14-20&version=NIV