Readings and Holy Week

Beginning Sunday, April 5th, we will be posting selected biblical readings that will allow you to engage with what is traditionally known in the Church as "Holy Week", the days leading up to Christ's crucifixion and resurrection. For some this isn't new at all because you come from traditions where scheduled readings every Sunday (often an Old Testament reading, a Psalm and a New Testament reading) were par for the course. These pre-selected Scripture readings used in worship are known as the lectionary. Lectionaries aren't new, in fact, they have been used for thousands of years (image is of a lectionary written in Greek used by the Church around 1100 A.D.). Indeed, before Christianity arrived the Jews used a lectionary in their worship services. For example, Jesus likely read from a Jewish lectionary when he read in the synagogue from Isaiah 61:1-2 as recorded in Luke 4:16-21.

Today different churches use different lectionaries but the intent is still the same - to walk the church in an orderly and strategic path through the Bible emphasizing specific subjects, ideas or themes. Most churches around the world will focus the next handful of days on Holy Week which highlights the Passion of Jesus. Thus their lectionaries will lead their readers through Bible passages that describe the circumstances and events that lead up to the Cross and empty tomb. We will join them in that endeavor by reading along as well. And in doing so, we join not only with the Church around the world but also through the ages who have read the same or similar passages during this week reminding ourselves of what God has done for us in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

So enjoy the journey that is Holy Week and may the readings which begin this Sunday gloriously point to the greatness of God and his Gospel in Jesus!