A Holy Re-Engagement: A Welcoming Suggestion for Holy Week
By: The Rev. Frederick Clarkson, Spanish Language Ministry Coordinator
As we journey through Lent and head toward Easter, we do so in the knowledge that we have been, as a friend of mine put it, going through an extended Lent since March 2020. Lent is also a time when we recall the idea that we are an Easter people or even the humor about folks who only show up at church at Christmas and Easter. But if we hope to be able to reengage our faith and have people reengage our faith communities in ways that are more than just virtual, we might do best to look at the whole story and not just a climax of Easter taken out of context.
In many countries, at least part, if not all, of Holy Week is a holiday. For many of us, as we get older, we realize that the love of God is more than God just overcoming death; it is God taking on life, warts and all, with its suffering, tragedies, and loss. So, this coming Holy week, if we want a Holy re-engagement, we must not skimp on the journey leading up to Easter. We must make it an opportunity for everyone to find resonance in our churches by allowing people to encounter God on their terms.
This re-engagement does not require a service 24/7, but merely a written invitation posted ideally in more than one language, and an open door and a quiet space for people to pray, meditate, and reconnect. We can offer a reminder of God’s love and understanding in a self-guided Stations of the Cross, ideally in more than one language. Perhaps we can provide a quiet community in people’s willingness to steward the space on Good Friday. In the Diocese of East Carolina, providing a Spanish translation of worship materials and church communications is a wonderful opportunity to connect with our Spanish-speaking neighbors and to support their spiritual nourishment.
These are simple ways to remind our surrounding communities that they are part of a story that we seek to live out through our faith in God; a faith rooted in Christ, for Christ understands the human condition and has a profound love for each person. If your faith community needs any Spanish-language support in such an endeavor, let us know by emailing Rev. Fred Clarkson.