Holy Week 2022
There was a mixup with the weekly columns it seems because Pastor Collier’s and Pastor Hogsett’s columns were switched. We will be reprinting Pastor Collier’s column on his regular day, but we apologize for that mixup. Here is Pastor Hogsett’s column:
For the most part this Holy Week 2022 has the pandemic in our rear view mirror. There still remain flashes of its presence, but normality seems to be returning.
Inflation has become a new concern and hopefully the high gas prices have reached their peak.
Stories of violence continue to be a prominent part of the daily news. Thankfully locally we have not experienced any real flooding, just some minor inconveniences.
What does dominate the news this Holy Week 2022 is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Daily we see new pictures of the utter destruction and horrific devastation that the Russians have inflicted up the Ukrainians. Such carnage has not been seen in Europe since World War II. In Vladimir Putin we see a present day incarnation of evil in its most lurid form.
Holy Week takes us from the excitement of Palm Sunday; through the growing tensions of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; his arrest, trials and His crucifixion on Friday; and His resurrection on Sunday. During the first Holy Week Jesus contended not only with the rulers and authorities of His day, but also the cosmic powers of the present darkness and the spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. (Eph. 6:12) The present day conflict in Ukraine is but an extension of this eternal struggle between good and evil.
Paul in his letter to the Romans has an inspiring word for those going through difficult times. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, or depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)
Holy Week comes during the spring of the year. Sometimes when the season is just dawning on the horizon and other times when it is well under way. This year it is towards the latter. My tulips and daffodils are in bloom. Others of my perennials are beginning to appear after their long winter slumber. Spring brings the hope of new possibilities, fresh starts and renewed expectations.
The theme of Psalm 30 is “Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness.” The psalmist ends by saying, “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.” (Psalm 30:11, 12) In the first Holy Week the mourning of Friday was turned into the dancing of Sunday. God continues to bring about this transformation today. He does it every year with the coming of spring. He does it in individual lives. He does it when the evil forces of this world seem to be in control just as they did their worst on Friday of the first Holy Week. However, in the end God brings about new life and ultimately resurrection.
A scriptural index of previous articles can be found at musingsfromtheheartland.com.