Good News (and New Holy Week Guide)

Time is a wily thing, ever marching on with seeming greater rapidity. I have intended so many times to write here. (I sound like a long lost family member making an excuse for not sending a letter). Intentions are rarely enough in this world, but life has taken some big turns for us this last year. So, rather than belabor you with explanations (more on the long absence later), I will simply accept the year for what it was and be deeply grateful for the beauty of now.

It is Palm Sunday! And we are entering Holy Week! That is GOOD NEWS! This video, released today by our church, beautifully depicts Mary Magdalene sharing “The Good News.”

While driving home from church today Eliza said, “this is my favorite week of the year!” Mine too. There is something so comforting, meaningful, and happy about spending time with Jesus and being in His words. Journeying with Him from Bethany to Golgotha is a road I never tire of walking. Every year, the awe of it somehow makes the stories, traditions, and scriptures still feel new.

For the past few months, I’ve been working on a NEW and ENHANCED Holy Week Guide. This new guide is geared toward teens and adult students who are ready to go a little deeper into the meaning of Holy Week.

With great thanks to a number of scholars (notated within the text) and our stunning synoptic writers, I have crafted each day of Holy Week with a historical summary, inclusive readings (with emphasis on the ones I feel share the most important details), videos to watch, questions for personal reflection that can be studied and journaled about, and a tradition or activity.

I hope you will find it helpful. If there are typos, mistaken verses, or any other kind of errors, my apologies. Despite poring over these paragraphs for weeks, it is likely I missed something, and if you kindly bring it to my attention, I will make the correction.

Also, you should know that this year my goal was to create good content. It’s not pretty to look at, but the substance is there. My goal for next year is to create something beautiful, with printable art and imagery you can use, and possibly something in booklet form. Just click the link below and print. Or work off the digital version and all links to videos and past posts are live.

PDF for NEW HOLY WEEK GUIDE 2022

PDF for printable images for EASTER TREE

If you’d like to use the simpler, shorter Holy Week Guide I put together a few years ago, PDF is below.

SIMPLIFIED HOLY WEEK GUIDE for children

My dear friend Derek, who was in Jerusalem with me in 1995 (27 years ago!) is currently in the Holy Land with his darling family. He texted some photos to a small group of us, and I have been overcome by the memories and joy of living there and being immersed in Jesus. I’m going to include some of Derek’s photos below, because they were taken in the last few days – some today! Next to actually being there, it feels like the closest we can get to those sacred places. Thank you Derek!

Photos taken by Derek Gasser, 2022.