Inside Bethany and J9's Heads: The Holy Week

“As we approach this holy week—Passover Thursday with its Paschal Lamb, atoning Friday with its cross, Resurrection Sunday with its empty tomb—may we declare ourselves to be more fully disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, not in word only and not only in the flush of comfortable times but in deed and in courage and in faith, including when the path is lonely and when our cross is difficult to bear. This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,” for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone.”

-Elder Jeffery R. Holland NoneWere with Him (April 2009)

For many Christians, “Holy Week” describes a season of observance that begins with Palm Sunday and ends on Easter morning.

So lately, for me, Easter, Christmas, and other holidays just seem to fly by, and I don't get to appreciate them. I wanted that to be different this Easter. Easter is the reason I celebrate Christmas, Easter is the reason I know that I can change and become better. Easter is a celebration of the most loving act in all history, the Atonement. Christ's suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, His suffering and death on the Cross, and His Resurrection.

Yet for some reason we celebrate a bunny leaving decorated eggs hidden for children to find? Don't get me wrong, bunnies are adorable, just look at my Pintrest, I love rabbits. I love the movie Rise of the Guardians, I only just saw it last semester and fell in love with it, and I love Hugh Jackman as the Easter Bunny, it continues to delight me. I still fail to understand why it is celebrated this way.

In an effort to remember the reason for the season I researched the events of the Holy Week, and complied a list. I thought I would share it. Please Remember why we celebrate Easter.

So today we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known, every discouragement we have ever had, every fear we have ever faced—to say nothing of our resurrection from death and forgiveness for our sins. That victory is available to us because of events that transpired on a weekend precisely like this nearly two millennia ago in Jerusalem.

-Elder Jeffery R. Holland Where Justice, Love, and Mercy Meet (April 2015)

For a more complete look at the Holy Week in the Scriptures, see the list below: