Holy Week - An Emotional Rollercoaster

Holy Week…

A week that could be considered an emotional rollercoaster!  Palm Sunday – a day where people were shouting praises of joy saying Hosanna!  Scripture says it was a large crowd of people so the noise level had to be great.  When people around you are exuberating excitement and shouting praises it would be hard not to feel the excitement surrounding you. 

Then the disciples had the opportunity to have an intimate dinner with Jesus, a chance to sit around the table with the One who they were following and learning about ministry.   The emotions probably didn’t have the same exuberance as shouting praises; yet, there was a sense of closeness.  They all shared a meal and at that meal Jesus broke the bread and took the cup, a time that brought all of them together in a very special way.  Yet, that same night brought about sadness as Jesus told them that one of them was going to betray Him.  Matthew notes, “They were very sorrowful”. (Matthew 26:22)  There was also the emotional response in Peter of being “called out” by Jesus. Peter was told he was going to deny Jesus and Peter was very animate that he was not going to deny Jesus. 

The emotional rollercoaster ramped up after that.  Soldiers appeared to arrest Jesus.  Imagine the sense of fear that ran through the disciples.  Along with that, it was revealed that Judas betrayed Jesus.  Maybe a sense of shock or anger went through the disciples at that time too.  No matter what it was the emotions were running wild.  The next day did not help with the emotions.  To watch a man you loved on trial, being beat, and hung on a cross is more emotion than I have ever experienced.  I cannot even comprehend how the disciples felt that day. 

How do you even go about and do the daily things that need to be done after experiencing such devastation?  I’m not sure, but the ladies still prepared the spices for the body.  When the ladies arrived at the tomb on the first day of the week to apply the spices to the body, they did not find what they expected.  As Luke says, they were perplexed.  Their confusion turned to fear as Angels appeared and their fear turned into excitement as they were told Jesus had Risen. 

We were not there to experience first-hand the emotional rollercoaster the disciples went through that week; yet, it is our sin as well that put Jesus on that cross.  This week is about “experiencing” the emotional roller coaster.  We can praise the King that walked through the city.  We share in the intimate meal that Jesus provided.  We can feel the pain of our sin and the agony that we sent Jesus to the cross.  We can rejoice in His forgiveness and Resurrection.  We can rest in His peace!

Cheryl