This is the pastoral article for 26 March 2013 for the weekly newsletter of the Parish of the Epiphany, The Three Crowns.
The early morning hours, still dark, in East Jerusalem were not a hindrance to the neighborhood’s constant bustling. We gathered in front of the hotel, we pilgrims from the Diocese of Massachusetts, with our guide, Canon Iyad Qumri. He was holding a wooden cross, small enough to carry, but large enough to be seen, as if to say, “we’re going to carry this cross!”
The five minute walk into the Old City took us across cobblestone sidewalks, and we were greeted with polite nods from various shopkeepers who were, even at that early hour, unpacking their wares to prepare for the day’s commerce. We kept quiet, helping the elders among us who walked more slowly, and carrying our little books, “A Walk in Jerusalem: Stations of the Cross.” The book had all the short readings and prayers for each of the stations.
Every Friday in Jerusalem Franciscan monks take groups of pilgrims down the Via Dolorosa, this road Christ likely walked on his way to the cross. We were earlier than the crowds, and said our prayers at each of the stations as a group, just us. The fourteen locations which mark Christ’s final moments retell the passion narrative, naturally, but each station represents something even more than retelling the story because at each station we also prayed. We prayed.
After each station one of us would carry the cross, and we would sing “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” or we would walk in silence. At the very end, inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, we were in an empty tomb. It's the only church in the world with an empty tomb. It was my privilege, a great, great honor, to lead the litany in that place. My fellow pilgrims were standing in a circle, and I said, “People of God, he is not here; he is risen.” They responded, “Yes, he is risen!” Then me, “He is risen!” They responded, “And he is here, Alleluia!”
This week is ours to do the same thing, figuratively and powerfully. We are not in Jerusalem, but we are here, and that’s what matters. This week, Holy Week, is centered on our walking the way together. On Wednesday evening, something new for us this year, will be a chance to walk our own version of stations of the cross. Then, on Thursday the one, long service in three acts (Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night) will take us from tenderness, to betrayal, to death, and ultimately to new life.
Holy Week asks a question: how can we go deeper and deeper each day to let go of all that is false in our lives? Or, put another way, walking this way helps us remove everything that keeps us from our true existence. What’s discovered, along the way, is an ultimate beauty, a space which God lovingly fills in the joy of Easter.
To make this journey with you is death and life, and life again. I’ll see you there.
