The Blessing of Taking a Closer Look at Holy Week

I love Holy Week. And, somehow, I think I love it more because I didn’t grow up in church. Until I became a Christian at sixteen, Easter was simply the fun of a new dress, searching for my basket, and gathering eggs at my grandmother’s house. And, even though it wasn’t Jesus-adjacent, I appreciate the memories of those early days.

Later, after I married, I had the additional privilege of getting to know Easter not just as Resurrection Sunday but also as a week-long celebration per my husband’s Lutheran upbringing. Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday were all new to me. It was neat to add those extra days of understanding, sweetening the crescendo up to a victorious Easter celebration.

Interestingly, a lot happened on those less “famous” days of Holy Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. As a light appetizer, I’ll offer just a little here. Scholars suggest that on Monday, Jesus cleared the temple. On Tuesday, He visited the Mount of Olives, where He would later be betrayed. Wednesday (also referred to as “Spy Wednesday”) is suggested as the day Judas made the decision to betray Jesus. And, finally Saturday, (sometimes referred to as “Black Saturday”) when Jesus lay in the tomb.

While considering these extra pieces of the Easter story, a broader lesson came to mind. Investigating these more obscure days in Jesus’s last week on earth was a simple reminder that there is much to learn about Him “in between the highlight reel.” As we look closer, we learn more about this important week and other experiences He lived. And, we get not only Sunday School level Jesus, but also witness some of the finer nuances of His character. Just as when we spend time getting to know people, when we take the time to know God more intimately, it helps us love, appreciate, and understand Him even more.

During the upcoming Holy Week, I pray you are blessed by learning more about who He was…and is! And, I pray that practice also encourages us to spend time learning and developing deeper relationships with others. I love that any lesson we learn about Jesus ultimately has an amazing application for our daily lives as well.

Holy Week happened a long, long time ago, but its implications are as modern-day as they come. Blessings to each of you as the victory of Easter Sunday approaches. May you deeply know Him—and be deeply known. This is where life is truly lived.

(For those interested in a deeper dive, a thorough infographic on Holy Week events can be found here.)

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash, used with permission

*Originally published 3/30/2021, updated for freshness and clarity.

Check out more of Anne’s mental health and faith content on her blog, in her Bible studies, and through speaking engagements!