Join us on a Easter journey – the week that changed everything.

The week began with Jesus of Nazareth, with the regular disciple group, coming to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover - as usual. In short time we felt like statistics added in a sequence of events dictated by eternity’s God. We were sucked into a storm. We were drawn into a dark deep chasm. It seemed unreal.

Regardless how clumsy, fraudulently, maliciously or unsympathetic someone behaved, eye contact with Jesus was always offered. We were greeted with an abyss of love, deeper than the shame we felt. A love that outshone the suffering He felt. It is difficult to maintain a steady gaze, to believe that Love while judging oneself. We all had a choice. Those who accepted His love remained. Those who rejected the offer to be forgiven were left (became) alone.

Sunday

The week began on Sunday. Many people come to Jerusalem when the Jews celebrate Passover. Many had accepted healing and witnessed Jesus perform amazing miracles. It seemed quite natural when a spontaneous procession of honor path formed on the main street in front of Jesus. Cloaks were laid on the ground and palm branches swayed as songs of praise were lifted up. This was the humble King about whom the prophets spoke. We knew our prayer book well and the songs to Hosanna had never been as alive as they were at that time.

Monday

Monday's events were a contrast, but concurrently a natural consequence. The average, poor people's hopes and beliefs came into direct conflict with the rich and powerful. For us it was a wondrous sight. Jesus’ face shone with glory as He turned and flipped the tables and chairs of the moneychangers in the Temple (gates) upside down. The vendors’ concessions stands collapsed in heaps and there was true astonishment among those who lined their pockets at the expense of the people who came simply to offer a sacrifice and to pray.

It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' (Math. 12:13 NIV) Pigeons were fluttering around, people shouting and coins being collected by the beggars. We now began to suspect that this week would not be the pleasant breakthrough to future advances we had believed.

Thursday

On Thursday a mighty storm gathered, or better said, an earthquake. We celebrated the Passover meal, but this time with entirely new connotations as we read the scriptures, reminding us how God freed our ancestors from slavery in Egypt. The sensation, that the dreams and expectations of the kingdom of God among us were coming into fruition began to wane. This occurred both through small signs and actual experiences.

We heard Judas's excuses and witnessed how difficult it was to meet Jesus' gaze. Jesus took the servant's hand-basin and towel and began to wash our feet. He explained the meaning of this, but the words flew around like flocks of sparrow not wanting to settle complacently in our consciousness. What impacted on my memory most was the sad; "In a short time you will see Me no longer. You will weep and wail. You will grieve. Now you have it difficult". But, over time it became as He had said. The Spirit that He promised us came and reminded us all of the promised good that was to come. "You shall see me again. Your sorrow shall be turned into joy. No one will take your joy from you ".

Thursday

The night was very dramatic. It was as if heaven’s faithful, bountiful love, and hell’s evil and betrayal came together and clashed in the body of Jesus. The conflict ended as we, suddenly awakened from our slumber, saw Jesus identified by Judas in order that the temple guards could take Him in for questioning. Jesus accepted Judas’ kiss, as though he were a friend. A new calm and dignity fell on Jesus. From that moment He stood alone against the accuser and schemers, abandoned by His friends. He had a new sense of purpose. He was close to His Heavenly Father whom He talked so much about, but who we, until now had not really understood.

Friday

The night leading into Friday was truly one of spectacles. The Jewish Council, with the high priest Caiaphas as the point man, had decided that Jesus would be hustled away. Jesus' popularity and salvation revivalism filled people with the courage to defy the unjust decree, and disturb the delicate balance between the Jewish priests and the occupying Roman’s power.

Worse yet was that Jesus began to acknowledge and affirm the people's tributes to the Messiah, the Son of God. The interrogation by the high priest was like a warm-up. The questions levied concerned whether Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, or if someone had heard Him declare it. Jesus handled it brilliantly; appeared to have His own preconceived plan with how to handle this and answered only if it served His purposes.

It was not proceeding anywhere near as splendidly for Peter. His resolve to come forward, stand up and defend Jesus crumbled completely. Three times he spat and spluttered, denying he even knew Jesus. The clergy though were not really interested in Jesus' response. He was to die and false witnesses were easy to recruit in return for a bribe.

The problem was to present Jesus, to have Him appear as a dangerous criminal before the Roman governor Pilate, the only person with the power to pronounce the death decree.

Pilate rose in the middle of the night, disturbed, despite his reluctance to interfere in a religious dispute. He tried to squirm his way out of a fate forcing him to condemn a man he believed to be innocent, and sent the prisoner to Herod, however, this did not lead to anything. Pilate tried to appease the incited Jewish faction, and staged a quick election on this year's ‘release’; would the person granted freedom be the rascal Barabbas or Jesus - but nothing succeeded. In addition, his wife said, that Jesus gave her nightmares.

What provoked Pilate the most was that Jesus did not seem to want to be free. The proud Roman took refuge in the power of language once again. "Do you not understand that I have power to free you or to crucify you?" It sounded like a trump card but Jesus' response had a very different impact. "You would have no power over me if you had not received it from above."

Crucifixion

Inevitably Jesus was sentenced to death by crucifixion. Pilate thought his had been the last word when he erected the sign on the cross, in Hebrew, Latin and Greek, with the text "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". The world would know! This angered the chief priests and this pleased Pilate a great deal

When the one we love is tortured to death through suffering and  lingering inflicted pain it becomes unbearable. Between nightmarish and painful reality, we watched how an exhausted Jesus dragged His heavy cross. The soldiers provoked and taunted, men and women wept and lashed out, our own fear and grief caused us to wish for an immediate escape. And then the sledge hammers’ rhythm driving rough spikes, breaking skin and bursting through His veins. This is hell on earth.

Commissioner Marie Willermark

Sweden and Latvia Territory