Holy Week: Where “Follow Me” Leads Us

Last updated on: April 3, 2017 at 10:41 am by Michelle Van Loon

Holy Week: Where “Follow Me” Leads Us 2017-04-03T10:41:12-05:00 Michelle Van Loon

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I started Lent this year with good intentions. But we all know those good intentions can be little more than pavers on the road leading to bad places, right?

I wasn’t sure a full social media fast would be do-able for Lent this year, so I decided that I needed to apply some discipline to how I was interacting with it – specifically, in regards to the real-life reality show going on in our nation’s capitol.

Lent this year has forced me to do some thinking about my love for information about current events. Because I’m online a lot, I’m immersed in news and analysis (plus ads for nutritional supplements and bargain shoes). My Facebook feed flows with algorhythm’d stories cherry-picked just for me. Don’t even get me started on Twitter, that magical world of 140-character hot takes, witty rejoinders, and word vomit.

My focus this Lent has targeted my habit of indiscriminately clicking on any news story that caught my eye. I recognized I was habitually nurturing a few of the “deadly sins” in my craving to be in the know, such as gluttony (did I really need to gorge myself on twelve different op-eds about an event?), pride (there’s nothing like the warm, fuzzy feeling that my opinion about an event is obvi the right one), sloth (why work when I can surf?), and anger (yes). And as long as we’re at it, let’s throw in what some call the 8th deadly sin: gossip. Is there anything more delicious than a juicy little morsel of someone else’s bad news?

Right around the time, a friend cautioned me about the tendency he saw in me to “like” and re-tweet stuff without giving it a lot of thought. I’ll confess my first thought was, “Well, isn’t that the point of the internet?” which highlighted for me that some additional self-mastery was necessary in this area. A few years ago, when I was working at Trinity International University, the entire Student Development team was invited to take the Clifton StrengthsFinder test. My top strength was Input – I’m an information-collector. I recognize this strength serves me well in my vocation as a writer but is also a point of temptation for me.

Lent is a focused opportunity to align myself with the kind of fasted life Isaiah 58 talks about. It is where the “Follow me!” of Jesus leads:

If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. (vs. 9-12)

When I’m tired, angry, or sad, I’m most tempted to indulge myself in my pet sin. This year, Lent has been a magnifying mirror for me, calling me to greater accountability before God in the way in which my Input-wired self engages and shares information. This has mostly come through disciplining myself to pause before sharing, which helps to transform my reaction into a response. I am not “there” yet, but the point of this kind of fast is to begin moving in a new direction that will extend beyond Lent. This whose discipline thing is not about self-improvement – because really, that’s just another way to say “New Year’s Resolution” or “Crash Diet” – but learning to look down so I can trace the footsteps of Jesus as he walks toward the cross in order to lay down his life for his friends. That’s you and me.

519RT1msGVL.SX331_BO1,204,203,200 There are ten days left in Lent this year, bringing us all toward the final week of this season. This Sunday (April 9th) is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. Here is a helpful summary of Holy Week you can use to dive a little deeper into the story each day tells us about the final week of Jesus’ earthly ministry. I’ve discovered many people are interested in being more intentional about learning about the Jewish and Christian calendars, but don’t quite know where to start. I’m very happy I can commend a resource that offers a thoughtful historical and devotional overview of each calendar, but also know that many people feel as through attempting to participate will be a pile-on of extra stuff to do (and extra guilt to feel if they can’t do it).

Finally, I’ve been including a suggestion for a recipe or food to try as I’ve highlighted various days and seasons this year. I have one simple idea to share for Palm Sunday that doesn’t require a written recipe. I learned that figs are associated with the day because many ancient believers noted that Jesus ate figs after his entry into Jerusalem, likely because of the timing of the Scriptural account of the withered fig tree. With that idea in mind, why not plan to include a plate of figs and various cheeses in your menu that day?

Calendar

Previous Post

March 25, 2017

Review: Of Stillness And Storm

Next Post

April 5, 2017 When A Parent Is "Left Behind"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Baggage Books Calendar Church and Ministry CVID Ecclesiology Everyday Christian life Faith Falling Upward From The Margins Housing Jesus Movement's Unintended Consequences Midlife Midlife Survey #1 Midlife Survey #2 Moments and Days Out To The Margins Pilgrim's Road Trip Regret Seminary Spiritual Formation Uncategorized What's A Nice Jewish Grandmother Like You Doing In Seminary? When The Heart Waits Writing

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Place me like a seal over your heart, for love is as strong as death and burns like what?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The sun A blazing flame A torch Lightning