Via Dolorosa is a Latin term that means “the way of suffering.” It is the words used for the route that Jesus took through the city of Jerusalem on his way to the cross. But it also represents the overall journey. This is Holy week. During the seven days we take a journey with Jesus from the procession of Palm Sunday to the Last Supper to the garden where Jesus prayed. It was there that he was betrayed by Judas and arrested. After that was a mockery of a trial and Jesus condemnation. It was here that one of his closest friends, Peter, denied even knowing him.
After the trial, Jesus was beaten, mocked, and humiliated. He was paraded through the streets on this Via Dolorosa as the people jeered and insulted him. His disciples wept as nails were driven through his hands and feet and he was crucified like common criminal. After he had died, they prepared his body for burial and laid him in a borrowed tomb. For the disciples, all seem lost . . .until. Three days later, as the women approached the gravesite to grieve, they discovered the stone rolled away. They found an empty tomb and the greatest news ever proclaimed, Jesus is alive! Resurrection to life, Jesus had defeated death.
No one ever wants to have to experience the Via Dolorosa, the way of suffering. But without the crucifixion there was no resurrection. In order for Christ to defeat death he had to confront it. Sometimes we must travel the way of suffering in order to experience the joy of victory. This is what Holy Week is all about. As Christ followers, it is important that this week we make the journey with Jesus to the cross, and the grave, before we celebrate the empty tomb.
To help us experience that, we have prepared two special services for Holy Week. Tomorrow is what we call Maundy Thursday. Maundy actually comes from a Latin word for mandate or commandment. At the Last Supper Jesus gave the disciples a new commandment, “love one another.” At the Maundy Thursday service we will walk through the story of the last supper and then share together in communion.
On Friday we will hold a Good Friday service that continues the journey through the betrayal, the arrest and the sacrifice of Jesus. We offer these services so that we can walk with Jesus along the Via Dolorosa. This is important because we cannot fully experience the power, and the joy, of the resurrection on Easter without having gone through the struggle of Holy Week. The combined Maundy Thursday service will be held at our Plaistow campus at 6:00 p.m. Then the combined Good Friday service will be at our North Shore campus in Amesbury at 7:00 p.m. Both services are open to everyone. I invite you to attend both if you are able.
Then on Easter morning, I look forward to us coming together to celebrate joyfully the resurrection of our Lord and savior! Having walked the Via Delarosa with him we can fully experience the joy of his resurrection.
Have a blessed holy week.
I love you all,
Pastor Steve