We are entering into the silence and stillness of Holy Week. There is something very special for us to consider here above and beyond the darkness and sadness of the events which we commemorate. In the midst of the betrayal, suffering, and death of Jesus our Lord, we recognize sacredness and holiness that surround these events. How can such darkness of humanity’s treatment of God be identified with holiness? Why do we call this week “holy”? The obvious answer points to the effects of Christ’s suffering as expiation for our sins and a pathway to salvation. That should certainly always be in the forefront of how we view Holy Week. But there is also an opportunity to reflect on the suffering itself which Jesus endured. I would like to propose that holiness associated with this week does not come about as Christ’s suffering concludes on Easter Sunday, but rather, it is part and parcel of each event we honour this week. Christ’s experience of betrayal, suffering, and death was shrouded in holiness because of his perfect union with the Father and His obedience to the Father’s will. Every moment of Christ’s life, every joy and sorrow, even the experiences of darkness and pain were part of the mystery of holiness. I invite you to reflect on the holiness of this week in relation to our own lives. How can our entire life become holy? We should not have to wait for all the troubles of the world to end before we can experience holiness. Just as Jesus’ experience of the events of Holy Week were already sacred and united to God, so too should our life be. Every moment, every experience, every trial and misfortune that make up our journey to the Father should already be experienced as holy. May the celebrations of this Holy Week help us to experience God’s holy presence in each sacred moment of our lives.
Fr. Wojtek Kuzma