This is a public service reminder.

We are approaching what is known as Holy Week. For the next week, in churches everywhere, there will be an unusual number of public services. There will be public services on Palm Sunday. There will be public services on Maundy Thursday. There will be public services on Good Friday morning, afternoon, and evening. There will be public (vigil) services on Saturday evening. There will be several services on Easter Sunday.

As a result of these services, many people will be feeling unholy during Holy Week.

Many of the people who aren’t going to any one or more of these services will be feeling some sense of peculiarity. They will be wondering whether this feeling is guilt for not fulfilling some cultural custom or some family expectation. They will wonder whether this sense is confirmation that it is, in fact, true that God isn’t going to be happy with them at all. But, truth be told, these people aren’t sure whether it’s appropriate to show up in church just on Easter.

Many of the people who are going to one or more of these services will be feeling some sense of peculiarity. They will be wondering if this feeling is guilt for only fulfilling some cultural custom or family expectation. They will be wondering whether Jesus is going to any of these services which are being held for him. They will feel guilty for not caring enough to concentrate when they are sitting in the services.

Maybe you are one of these people. I understand. Because I feel some sense of peculiarity during Holy Week.

I’ll try to help all of us next week. Here’s my first help.

The first time around, there wasn’t a Holy Week celebration. There was life. There was Jesus. Celebrated. Rejected. Killed. Alive.

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I wrote this in 2011. I read it now knowing that the feelings will be even more mixed this year, that gathering is complicated. I’ll try to help us next week.