Saturday evening Vespers for Palm Sunday
For any non-Orthodox readers: In the Orthodox Church, the new day begins the evening before. This continues the Old Testament pattern from Genesis 1: “There was evening and there was morning, the first day…” So this Vespers service is the beginning of Holy Week.
From the Old Testament Readings:
The Key Lines:
Genesis 49:1-2; 8-12 – Jacob’s last words to his sons: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between His feet, until He comes to whom it belongs; and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”
Prophet Zephaniah 3:14-19 – “Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; He has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.”
Jesus Christ did not come to make us feel sorry for Him because of His sufferings. He came as a warrior to do battle against the devil. He came, as we sing, to “trample down death by death”. He came to go before us into death, to enter into the place of the dead and free Satan’s captives, and to set us who have not yet died free from the fear of death, to lead us all into the Light.
Prophet Zachariah 9:9-15 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you; triumphant and victorious is He, humble and riding on an ass, on a colt the foal of an ass. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and He shall command peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
The Apostle John wrote about this: “Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on the colt of a donkey.’ At first His disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about Him and that these things had been done to Him.” John 11:14-16
How to Keep Holy Week
From Palm Sunday’s Epistle: “Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:4-9
What does this have to do with Holy Week? It’s because there is nothing more noble, more lovely, better, more just, pure, lovely and of good report, nothing more virtuous and praiseworthy than what we celebrate during this Blessed Week. There is wonder and power and new life in this Week. As best you can, brothers and sisters, try to put lesser things aside, and live this Week with Jesus Christ and His blessed Mother and His Apostles.
So now, be prepared.
And beware! Satan often throws problems at us this Week to distract us. I have noticed especially at church that things suddenly break or go out of order. (Why are the tower bells suddenly not ringing? Already this Lazarus Saturday the “lift” is not working.) People used to come to me with inexplicable major problems. (A happy couple suddenly wanted a divorce.) I almost always counselled “Wait till next week” – because next week usually the issues just as suddenly vanish.
So… during Holy Week do things you must do – but otherwise, unless the house is on fire, put it off. If you can, go to church – or live-stream it. Pray. Read. Love the ones you love. There’s very little that can’t wait a week. Please do not get distracted.
And do not get upset. This Week Satan often tries to get us irritated by little things. Watch out for it. I know from experience that he comes at clergy, because we are so busy and are together so much. At Saint Nicholas we always make a Holy Week pact to “sit on it”, no matter how much we irritate each other.
Dear ones, control your tongues this week. Whatever nasty thing you’re suddenly tempted to say, zip your lips. If ugly thoughts even enter your mind, ask the Lord to just let them enter one ear and out the other. Who knows? Maybe it will make you feel so good that you’ll want to continue the practice after Holy Week.
Give yourself over to Holy Week, and live it with Christ and the Apostles and His blessed Mother. See for yourself His brilliance as He outsmarts His enemies. Experience for yourself something of the growing tension and darkness leading through Gethsemane and up to His Crucifixion – and feel the despair of His disciples afterwards. Then you will know for yourself the overwhelming joy and light of His Resurrection. This is why the Church gives us Holy Week – so we can personally enter into these world-shaking, life-changing events.
In another way, all of Holy Week with the Church is a blessed bit of Heaven: God’s people gathered together, praying together, fasting and feasting together, worshiping Him, loving Him and each other. Live this week with the Church, and we will have a glimpse, a foretaste of the Eternal Pascha to come.
The Next Posts will arrive tomorrow (Saturday) for Palm Sunday morning Divine Liturgy and Palm Sunday night Bridegroom Matins.