Drew Downs

Make a New Normal

Make a New Normal

Reading Holy Week (Year A)

a photo of a bible, a page turning and the light reflecting.
a photo of a bible, a page turning and the light reflecting.
Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash

There is so much action in the story of Jesus’s last week. Part of that story is captured in our celebrations during Holy Week. But not all of it.

To get the most out of the Holy Week experience, I encourage each of us to read along.

Here are two ways to read along this year, staying in the gospel of Matthew (for Year A – the primary gospel for this year in the Revised Common Lectionary).

By Day

Palm Sunday: Matthew 21:1-11
Holy Monday: Matthew 21:12-17
Holy Tuesday: Matthew 21:18-26:5
Holy Wednesday: Matthew 26:6-16
Maundy Thursday: Matthew 26:17-35
Good Friday: Matthew 26:36- 27:61
Holy Saturday: Matthew 27:62-66
Easter: Matthew 28:1-10

This approach starts with Palm Sunday reading and places the “cleansing” of the Temple on Monday (as it occurs in Mark) to preserve the Temple teaching as one unit for Tuesday. It also protects the anointing as its own day and marks the events of Thursday which occur before the garden together.

Note: Because this approach puts a lot of reading on Tuesday, here is an alternate reading option:

By Theme

Palm Sunday: Matthew 21:1-17
Holy Monday: Matthew 21:18-22:46
Holy Tuesday: Matthew 23:1-24:31
Holy Wednesday: Matthew 24:32-26:5
Maundy Thursday: Matthew 26:6-35
Good Friday: Matthew 26:36- 27:61
Holy Saturday: Matthew 27:62-66
Easter: Matthew 28:1-10

This second approach breaks up all of that teaching at the Temple into three days. To do this,

  • We read about the “cleansing” on Palm Sunday as it occurs in this gospel.
  • Monday has the confrontations with the leadership.
  • Tuesday has the dark warnings.
  • Wednesday has the dark parables.
  • In this reading, I’ve moved the anointing from the day before Maundy Thursday and into the Thursday reading, which complements the theme of the day.

Either of these approaches would provide a satisfying approach to keeping Holy Week holy.

The purist, who wants to mark the days as close as possible and preserve the solid narrative of Jesus’s massive day of teaching will be drawn to the first reading approach.

I, however, might recommend the alternate approach, which not only makes Tuesday less daunting, but allows the ongoing themes to shine in the reading. So that, by the time we do get to the Passion, we’re seeing how those themes resonate in it.

Blessed Holy Week,

Drew