This year the week starts on April 2nd and ends on April 8th (Holy Saturday). Holy week’s colour is Red.
The week begins with Passion/Palm Sunday and ends with the “three days” (also called the Triduum, from sunset on Thursday to sunset on Easter Day) which mark Jesus’ trial, death, and resurrection. These days feature not only the drama of the triumphal entry, trial, last supper, and crucifixion but also poignant prayers and prophetic teachings of our Lord. John’s gospel devotes eight of its twenty-one chapters to this week alone! Worship throughout Holy Week invites the congregation to think of themselves as participants in a dramatic reenactment of scriptural events. Thus, children may be invited to process while shouting “Hosanna!” Or, in the reading of the passion narrative, the entire congregation may be invited to speak the words, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” (certainly one of the most unsettling actions in any worship service). These help the congregation sense the significance of the narratives for what they teach us about Jesus’ ministry, about God’s being and character, and about the nature and scope of redemption in Christ.
Readings
| Holy Week Year A | First reading | Psalm | Second reading | Gospel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monday of Holy Week April 3, 2023 ART — PRAYER | Isaiah 42:1-9 | Psalm 36:5-11 | Hebrews 9:11-15 | John 12:1-11 |
| Tuesday of Holy Week April 4, 2023 ART — PRAYER | Isaiah 49:1-7 | Psalm 71:1-14 | 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 | John 12:20-36 |
| Wednesday of Holy Week April 5, 2023 ART — PRAYER | Isaiah 50:4-9a | Psalm 70 | Hebrews 12:1-3 | John 13:21-32 |
| Maundy Thursday April 6, 2023 Holy Thursday ART — PRAYER | Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14 | Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19 | 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 | John 13:1-17, 31b-35 |
| Good Friday April 7, 2023 ART — PRAYER | Isaiah 52:13-53:12 | Psalm 22 | Hebrews 10:16-25 or Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9 | John 18:1-19:42 |
| Holy Saturday April 8, 2023 ART — PRAYER | Job 14:1-14 or Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24 | Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16 | 1 Peter 4:1-8 | Matthew 27:57-66 or John 19:38-42 |
| Italicized readings, complementary to the standard reading, may be used with, or in place of it. | ||||
Sources
- wallpaperaccess.com christ-is-risen
- From the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0.
- Lectionary from The Vanderbilt Divinity Library
