“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

This Sunday began the most important week in the Christian calendar, a week that has been depicted in various media throughout the years.  Movies such as Jesus of Nazareth, The Passion of Christ and the Greatest Story Ever Told all tell the powerful story of Christ’s passion and death. In printed media there are books such as Six Hours One Friday by Max Lucado, The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ by James Stalker and The Easter Story, a version for children. Successful Broadway shows such as Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar still run every year and Churches all over the world put on various versions of the Passion Play or Living Stations.

This year and probably all of my remaining years, this week will have a special meaning to me. Last October I visited Israel and actually walked in some of the places where Jesus walked during those last few days. We started our trip in Tiberius and then moved on to Jerusalem. The bus driver announced it as we entered the city.  When we arrived we attended Mass at the Chapel at Bethphage, the wall behind the altar has a beautiful depiction of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.  As I stood in Mass yesterday holding up my palm to be blessed, I remembered that painting with all the people welcoming Jesus and waving palm branches. It’s amazing how fast their attitude changed.

As I sit at Mass on Holy Thursday I will have a clear picture of the room in Mount Zion which is believed to be the Upper Room, the room where Jesus and his Apostles celebrated His last supper. The room where He commissioned Judas to do what must be done. This is also the place that He returned to after His Resurrection.  As we have exposition and quiet contemplation after Mass, I’ll remember quietly walking through the Garden at Gethsemane with its beautiful olive trees yet an air of great sorrow. Could I stay awake and pray with Jesus or like the Apostles would I let exhaustion overcome me?

On Friday as I pray, I’ll recall standing in little damp cell where they held Jesus captive, left hanging on the wall awaiting his trial. I’ll remember walking along The Via Dolorosa (The Way of the Cross). We stopped at each of the stations along the way for a moment of prayer and reflection.  As we made our way through the crowded streets we were heckled and spit upon because we didn’t want to purchase anything, we just wanted to quietly pray. Jesus went through this on a much grander scale by the very people that he was there to save.

As I walked up the steps to the place where the cross once stood, I felt an overwhelming sadness. Although it’s now part of a Church this was once the hill where Jesus suffered and died, where blood and water poured from his body, where he spoke the words,”It is finished.”  I will be thinking about this as I attend the Good Friday service.

When I entered the tomb of Jesus in Holy Sepulcher church, I expected to feel something, a presence maybe, or a whisper of what was contained within. But I didn’t feel much of anything. It was disappointing, not the mystical experience that I was expecting. I attributed it to spending over an hour in line waiting and then being quickly herded in and out without time to dwell on what had taken place there. However, as Easter approaches, I wonder if I experienced nothing because nothing was there. Jesus is no longer in a tomb He is in our hearts. “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” With that in mind, when the bells resound and we sing the Gloria at the Easter Vigil, I will do so with joy because I know that Jesus has truly risen and will live in my heart forever.